Download ViewCast Oven 4100 User's Manual

Document Number: 40-03288-01-A
Date: December 2010
© 2010 ViewCast Corporation. All rights reserved.
ViewCast, GoStream, ViewCast logo, SimulStream, Niagara, SchedulStream, Niagara logo, Osprey,
and Niagara SCX are trademarks or registered trademarks of ViewCast Corporation or its
subsidiaries.
Microsoft, Windows XP, Windows, and Windows Media are trademarks or registered trademarks of
Microsoft Corporation.
QuickTime, iPhone, and iPod, are trademarks or registered trademarks of Apple Inc.
Adobe and Flash are trademarks or registered trademarks of Adobe Systems Inc.
Disclaimer
The information in this publication remains the property of ViewCast Corporation. Users may not use, reproduce, or disclose this information
without the implied consent and written approval of the company.
ViewCast Corporation makes no representations or warranties with respect to the contents or use of this manual and specifically disclaims any
express or implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for any particular purpose. Further, ViewCast Corporation reserves the right to
revise this publication to make enhancements in the products described in this manual, at any time, without obligation to notify any person or
entity of such revisions or changes. In no event will ViewCast Corporation be liable for direct, indirect, special, incidental, or consequential
damages arising out of the use or inability to use the product or documentation, even if advised of the possibility of such damages.
ViewCast Corporation is not responsible for any third-party license fees that may occur with the use of our products by an end user including
but not limited to creating or distributing content. The user is responsible for any fees the Multimedia Patent Trust may apply for creating and
distributing MPEG content.
Warranties
For complete warranty details, refer to the specific warranty included with each product. General warranty information includes the following:
Limited Warranty: ViewCast warrants its hardware products against defects in material and workmanship under normal use for the period of
one year (12 months) from date of sale. Where specific warranties exist that provide more substantial coverage, notwithstanding the warranty
provisions herein, such product warranties control and preempt or supersede the warranty provisions herein.
Reseller Pass Through of Standard Limited Warranties: Resellers pass the ViewCast standard limited warranties for the products through to
the customer without modification. Any modification of a product voids the ViewCast warranties or any other existing or available warranty.
Corporate Contact Information
ViewCast collaborates and partners with various clients to integrate products into their individual environments.
Niagara Technical Support: Phone: 972.488.7157, Fax: 972.488.7111 or submit the technical support online request from the ViewCast
website.
ViewCast USA Support: Monday through Friday: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Central Time. Typical response time is within one business day for customers
without a Priority Support Agreement.
ViewCast Corporation 3701 West Plano Parkway, Suite 300, Plano, TX 75075-7840 USA
Toll Free (U.S. only): 800.540.4119 website: www.viewcast.com
Niagara 4100 User Guide
Contents
About This Guide ............................................................................................................ 1
Product description............................................................................................................. 1
Audience ............................................................................................................................. 1
Conventions for this guide .................................................................................................. 2
Rack mount safety instructions .......................................................................................... 3
FCC notice ........................................................................................................................... 4
Environmental notices ........................................................................................................ 5
Warnings ............................................................................................................................. 6
Overview .......................................................................................................................... 9
Media appliance functions.................................................................................................. 9
Install overview ................................................................................................................. 10
Prerequisites ..................................................................................................................... 10
Package contents ....................................................................................................... 10
System requirements ........................................................................................................ 11
Specifications .................................................................................................................... 11
Installing additional software ........................................................................................... 11
Connecting to the Internet ............................................................................................... 12
Niagara 4100 front panel diagram .................................................................................... 13
Niagara 4100 back panel diagram .................................................................................... 14
Connecting the Niagara 4100 ........................................................................................... 15
Niagara 4100 EASE menu .................................................................................................. 16
Niagara 4100 home page .................................................................................................. 17
Menu bar commands ................................................................................................. 17
Niagara 4100 browser windows flow ............................................................................... 19
Easy Setup ..................................................................................................................... 21
Web interface ................................................................................................................... 22
Easy first time set up ......................................................................................................... 23
Connecting to an electrical power source .................................................................. 23
Performing the initial start up .................................................................................... 24
Connecting to an IP network ...................................................................................... 25
Changing the network settings................................................................................... 25
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Contents
Basic Operations ........................................................................................................... 29
Starting up......................................................................................................................... 29
Shutting down ................................................................................................................... 30
Starting an encoder........................................................................................................... 31
Checking CPU usage .......................................................................................................... 33
Stopping an encoder ......................................................................................................... 34
Connecting an external storage device ............................................................................ 35
Exporting captured video files .......................................................................................... 35
Advanced Operations ................................................................................................... 37
Logging in .......................................................................................................................... 37
Viewing all encoders ......................................................................................................... 39
Creating an encoder.......................................................................................................... 40
Starting an encoder........................................................................................................... 41
Stopping an encoder ......................................................................................................... 42
Editing an Adaptive Apple HTTP encoder ......................................................................... 43
Video tab .................................................................................................................... 44
Audio tab .................................................................................................................... 46
Apple HTTP Live Streaming Output tab ...................................................................... 47
Apple HTTP Live Streaming Security tab via FTP ........................................................ 49
Editing an Adaptive Adobe Flash encoder ........................................................................ 50
Video tab .................................................................................................................... 51
Audio tab .................................................................................................................... 54
Adobe Flash Dynamic Streaming Output tab ............................................................. 55
Adobe Flash Dynamic Streaming Security tab ........................................................... 57
Editing an Adobe Flash H.264 encoder ............................................................................. 58
Video tab .................................................................................................................... 59
Audio tab .................................................................................................................... 62
Output tab .................................................................................................................. 63
H.264 Presets tab ....................................................................................................... 65
Editing an MPEG-4 encoder .............................................................................................. 66
Video tab .................................................................................................................... 67
Audio tab .................................................................................................................... 71
Output tab .................................................................................................................. 73
H.264 Presets tab ....................................................................................................... 75
Editing a Windows Media encoder ................................................................................... 76
Video tab .................................................................................................................... 77
Audio tab .................................................................................................................... 79
Output tab .................................................................................................................. 80
DRM tab...................................................................................................................... 83
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Viewing encoder groups ................................................................................................... 84
Creating encoder groups .................................................................................................. 85
Starting an encoder group ................................................................................................ 86
Stopping an encoder group .............................................................................................. 86
Editing encoder groups ..................................................................................................... 87
Configuring the Preset ABC buttons ................................................................................. 88
Using Preset ABC buttons to start an encoder group ....................................................... 90
Viewing all encoders ......................................................................................................... 91
Editing preset encoders .................................................................................................... 91
Configuring machine properties ....................................................................................... 92
Changing the computer name .................................................................................... 93
Changing the login password from the factory default ............................................. 94
Restoring the login password to the factory default ................................................. 94
Configuring Alerts ............................................................................................................. 95
Configuring network properties ....................................................................................... 96
Configuring network cards ......................................................................................... 96
Configuring the IP address ......................................................................................... 97
Configuring advanced network settings ..................................................................... 97
System configuration settings .......................................................................................... 99
Setting current system configuration ....................................................................... 100
Configuring email/SMTP settings ............................................................................. 101
Configuring idle screen information......................................................................... 102
Configuring default directory setting ....................................................................... 103
Setting CPU thresholds ............................................................................................. 104
Restoring Niagara 4100 factory defaults .................................................................. 104
Viewing the activity log ................................................................................................... 106
Viewing alerts ................................................................................................................. 107
Connecting an external storage device .......................................................................... 108
Using the Niagara SCX web interface ............................................................................. 108
Appendix A: DRM for Windows Media ...................................................................... 109
Importing a DRM profile ................................................................................................. 110
Appendix B: H.264 Advanced Settings ..................................................................... 115
CBR – Newscast ............................................................................................................... 117
CBR – Sports .................................................................................................................... 118
CBR – Action .................................................................................................................... 119
Mobile ............................................................................................................................. 120
VBR – Newscast............................................................................................................... 121
VBR – Sports .................................................................................................................... 122
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Contents
VBR – Action.................................................................................................................... 123
Settings ........................................................................................................................... 124
Other settings ................................................................................................................. 127
Appendix C: Mapped Network Drive Setup .............................................................. 129
Appendix D: EASE Menu ............................................................................................ 139
Encoder menu ................................................................................................................. 140
Encoder start ............................................................................................................ 140
Encoder stop............................................................................................................. 140
Encoder status .......................................................................................................... 140
Access Health menu ........................................................................................................ 141
CPU status ................................................................................................................ 141
Memory available ..................................................................................................... 141
Setup system menu ........................................................................................................ 142
Network link status .................................................................................................. 142
Network MAC address.............................................................................................. 142
View network settings .............................................................................................. 143
Enable DHCP ............................................................................................................. 143
Set static IP addresses .............................................................................................. 144
Set gateway address ................................................................................................. 145
Set date and time ..................................................................................................... 146
Set video standard.................................................................................................... 146
Factory restore ......................................................................................................... 147
Export files menu ............................................................................................................ 148
Export to USB drive .................................................................................................. 148
Shutdown Niagara 4100 ........................................................................................... 148
Index ............................................................................................................................. 149
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Niagara 4100 User Guide
About This Guide
Thank you for purchasing the ViewCast Niagara 4100 streaming media appliance. This user guide
provides step-by-step instructions for installing and using your new streaming media appliance. For the
latest ViewCast product information and news, visit our website at www.viewcast.com.
Product description
The Niagara 4100 is designed with a combination of simplicity, portability and power to quickly and
easily stream your high-definition (HD) content to broadband and mobile networks including live
Adapative streaming to Adobe® Flash Media Server and Apple® (iPhones® and iPads®), Adobe Flash®
H.264, MPEG-4, H.263, H.264, and Windows Media (Silverlight® compatible) SD and HD, as well as
container support for 3GPP and 3GPP2. With the ability to ingest HD video, the Niagara 4100 is ideal for
live sports, live newsgathering, webcasting or any streaming application where you need rock-solid HD
performance on the go.
This rugged, portable streaming appliance can ingest standard- or high-definition video sources through
its SDI input, and accommodates a variety of audio input formats, including embedded SDI, AES/EBU,
and balanced or unbalanced stereo.
Figure 1. ViewCast Niagara 4100
Audience
The audience for this publication includes anyone who uses or administers the Niagara 4100. They
should have a basic technical understanding of streaming media. This user guide provides information
on the Niagara 4100 only.
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1
About This Guide
Conventions for this guide
This guide uses the document conventions specified below to help you identify different types of
information.
Convention
Bold text
Description
Characters to enter when
referenced in a procedure. The
name of fields or keys to press.
Provides supplemental
information.
Note: The prompt may not
display if …
IMPORTANT!
Provides important data that
affects how the system or
software responds.
IMPORTANT! You must install
Niagara SCX prior to
configuring SCX options…
CAUTION!
Provides information to help
avoid possible damage to
hardware or a system crash
(without data loss).
Provides information to ensure
you avoid potential injury,
death, or permanent system
damage.
CAUTION! Use case sensitive
commands to keep from
destroying…
Note:
WARNING!
2
Example
Enter DTMF as the group type.
Press Enter to save all your
changes.
WARNING! Do not touch
exposed wires.
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Niagara 4100 User Guide
Rack mount safety instructions
Operating Temperature The operating ambient temperature of a rack environment may
be greater than room ambient if installed in a closed or multi-unit
rack assembly. Therefore, you should install the equipment in an
environment compatible with the maximum ambient
temperature of 40° C.
Reduced Air Flow
You must not compromise the airflow required for safe
equipment operation when you install the equipment in a rack.
Mechanical Loading
Mounting of the equipment in the rack should be such that you
do not cause a hazard due to uneven mechanical loading.
Circuit Overloading
Consider the connection of the equipment to the supply circuit
and the effect that the overloading of the circuits might have on
current protection and supply wiring. You must also consider and
use the equipment nameplate ratings when you address this
concern.
Reliable Earthing
You must maintain reliable earthing of rack-mounted equipment.
Pay particular attention to supply connections other than direct
connections to the branch circuit (such as using power strips).
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3
About This Guide
FCC notice
WARNING! You must connect this device and peripherals using shielded cables to comply with FCC
radio emission limits.
WARNING! Modifications to this device not approved by ViewCast Corporation could void the FCCgranted authority for you to operate the device.
WARNING! The Niagara 4100 complies with the limits for a Class A digital device pursuant to Part 15
of the FCC Rules. These limits provide reasonable protection against harmful interference when you
operate the equipment in a commercial environment. This equipment generates, uses, and may
radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instruction
manual, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. Operation of this equipment in a
residential area will likely cause harmful interference. In this case you must correct the interference
at your own expense.
To CATV Installer: Pay special attention to Section 820-40 of the NEC that provides guidelines for
proper grounding. It particularly specifies that you must connect the cable ground to the grounding
system of the building as close to the point of cable entry as practical.
WARNING! Equipment installation must comply with local and national electrical codes.
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Environmental notices
Product Disposal
Information:
Dispose of this product in accordance with local and
national disposal regulations (if any) including those
regulations governing the recovery and recycling of Waste
Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE).
RoHS Compliant:
ViewCast Corporation commits to compliance with the
European directive on the Restriction of the Use of Certain
Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic
Equipment, Directive 2002/95/EC, the RoHS directive.
This product supplied to the European Union does comply
with the RoHS directive. ViewCast certifies that this
equipment shipped to the European Union conforms to the
2002/95/EC directive.
For current RoHS statement, see www.viewcast.com.
Underwriters Laboratories Underwriters Laboratories Inc. has not tested the
Inc. Statement
performance or reliability of the security or signaling
aspects of this product. UL only tested for fire, shock, and
casualty hazards as outlined in UL’s Standard for Safety UL
60950-1. UL Certification does not cover the performance
or reliability of the security or signaling aspects of this
product.
UL does not represent, warranty, or certify the
performance of reliability of any security or signaling
related functions of this product.
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About This Guide
Warnings
Only trained and qualified personnel should install, replace, or service this equipment.
Do not attempt to open the case of the appliance. If you do, you incur a high risk of electrical shock that
may cause damage to the appliance or personal physical injury or death to you and/or others. No userserviceable parts exist inside the appliance. If you open the appliance case or make unauthorized
changes to the case, ViewCast voids your warranty.
Install the appliance away from any heat sources. This remains vital to the safety of the product users.
Do not install the appliance near any heat sources such as:




Radiators
Heat registers
Stoves
Other heat-producing equipment
WARNING! Installing the appliance near heat sources could result in personal injury or death.
Never insert objects of any kind into the appliance through any appliance openings, as the objects
may touch dangerous voltage points, short out parts, and result in a risk of fire or electrical shock.
Do not stack the appliance atop or below other electronic devices as this can cause heat build-up and
vibration of the appliance. These conditions can damage the appliance thereby voiding the limited
warranty.
You may stack multiple Niagara 4100 units as these appliances accommodate stacking.
Do not install the appliance in any area where the temperature is less than 5°C or more than 40°C.
Transfer from temperature extremes may cause condensation. Let the appliance remain unplugged at
room temperature for at least 45 minutes before connecting it.
Use an outlet with surge suppression or ground fault protection when using the appliance. Unplug the
power cord from the wall outlet and disconnect the lines between the appliance and the video source
for added protection:



During a lightning storm
During dangerous weather conditions
When the encoder remains unattended or unused for long periods
Reduce the risk of fire or electric shock. Do not expose the appliance to any rain or moisture. Exposing
the appliance to rain or other types of moisture could result in appliance damages. Do not place any
liquids on or near the appliance. If you place liquids in any form on or near the appliance, do so at your
own risk, for you incur a high risk of electrical shock that could occur and cause damage to the
appliance.
WARNING! Exposing the appliance to rain or other types of moisture could result in physical injury or
death. Any liquids on or near the appliance may result in electrical shock and personal injury or
death.
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Refer all servicing to authorized service personnel. You must have authorized personnel only service any
damaged appliance. Relevant damage may occur with but is not limited to the following:






An unplugged or damaged power supply cord
Spilled liquid on the appliance
Fallen objects in or on the appliance
Appliance exposure to rain or other moisture or liquid
Failure to perform as described in the User Guide
A dropped appliance
ViewCast assumes no liability or responsibility for any damaged appliance that clients continue using.
Use only attachments, accessories, or equipment specified by the manufacturer with the appliance.
Using accessories or attachments not recommended by the encoder manufacturer voids the Limited
Warranty.
WARNING! When using 4-pin XLR to cigarette car plug cables, do not disconnect the car battery
adaptor or turn off the car engine before you turn off the player. Doing so may damage the player.
Do not attempt to service the appliance yourself. If you open or remove covers, you may be exposed to
dangerous voltage. Such action voids the Limited Warranty. Refer all servicing issues to authorized
service personnel only.
The plug-socket combination that serves as the main disconnecting device must be accessible at all
times.
Protect the power cord from anyone walking on it and being strained or pinched particularly at plugs,
electrical receptacles, and the point where the power cord exits the appliance.
Do not use adapter plugs or remove the grounding prong from the power cable.
Use only the type of power source indicated on the marking label on the back panel of the unit to
operate the appliance. Unplug the appliance power cord by gripping the plug and removing it from the
power source. Do not pull the cord to remove the power source from the appliance.
Do not plug the appliance into a wall outlet that contains an overload of electrical cords or power
strips/extension cords. This type of overload may result in fire or electrical shock risks.
Always handle the appliance carefully. Always avoid excessive shock and vibration to the appliance.
Excessive shock or vibration can damage the appliance.
WARNING! Excessive shock or vibration to the appliance may result in electrical shock and personal
injury or death.
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Niagara 4100 User Guide
Overview
Before you can use your Niagara 4100 streaming media appliance, you first need to set up and configure
it. This chapter is dedicated to providing you with the details and step-by-step instructions you need to
make your installation as quick and easy as possible.
All you need to get started are the four following requirements:




AC power source (100 - 240 V)
Your audio and video source (such as a camera, video player, or other A/V output device)
A streaming media server or hosting provider
IP connection and/or Internet connection
The Niagara 4100, an easy-to-use streaming device, allows you to:





Connect to a compatible browser on a dynamic host configuration protocol/domain name server
(DHCP/DNS) network.
Configure and connect your audio and video source to the Niagara 4100.
Select your output formats and streaming settings.
Enter your streaming server information.
Start streaming your media.
You can configure and use the Niagara 4100 straight from the box for any streaming activities. Use the
web interface for setting options and controlling your Niagara 4100 from another networked computer,
as well as more advanced options.
WARNING! Read the installation instructions before connecting the system to the power source.
Media appliance functions
Although it has many features and capabilities, the Niagara 4100 streaming media appliance performs,
in its most basic functions, as follows:




ViewCast
Takes analog audio and SDI video inputs
Captures the signals
Encodes the signals into digital IP video formats
Delivers the IP audio and video content to a storage device or streams it over an IP network
9
Overview
Install overview
This section addresses the high-level actions you must perform to physically connect and set up your
Niagara 4100 system.
You must complete the following primary tasks to install the Niagara 4100:





Address and comply with all prerequisites.
Connect the Niagara 4100 streaming media appliance using its power source.
Connect the video source (camera or video recorder) to the system.
Connect the Niagara 4100 to an IP network.
Configure the Niagara 4100 system.
Prerequisites
Before installing and connecting the Niagara 4100, ensure you comply with the following prerequisites:



All packaged items are undamaged and in working order.
Your environment meets all system requirements.
Safety instructions, notices, and warnings detailed in About This Guide including:
o
Rack Mount Safety Instructions
o
FCC Notice
o
Environmental Notices
o
Warnings
Package contents
Completely unpack all contents from the box and inspect each item for damage. Ensure that you have all
the components listed below:
Appliance
Power Cables


Niagara 4100
AC to DC converter
Guides


Software
Hardware
10




One of the following:
o North America power cable (110 vac)
o International power cable (220 vac)
o UK power cable (220 vac)
Package insert (end-user license agreement, welcome letter,
package content list)
User guide (on CD in PDF format)
Quick Start Guide
1 Niagara 4100 CD
Rugged carrying case
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Niagara 4100 User Guide
If any components are missing or damaged, do not continue with the installation. Contact the ViewCast
reseller from which you purchased your Niagara 4100 streaming media appliance for assistance in
obtaining any missing parts or for parts replacement.
System requirements
Ensure your computer meets the following system requirements.
Browser Interface
User Interface
Any Internet Explorer (IE)-based computer, workstation, or laptop that
interfaces to a dynamic host configuration protocol/domain name
server (DHCP/DNS)-compatible network
High-speed Internet, dial-up, and mobile device users
Specifications







Intel i7 processor
4 GB RAM or larger
HDD (160 GB or larger)
Osprey 710e HD technology
4.5” H x 8” W x 12” D)
8 lbs (3.6 kg)
90 W power supply
Installing additional software
The Niagara appliances run an embedded version of the Microsoft Windows 7 operating system (OS),
which is a sub-set of the normal retail version. The Microsoft License agreement limits the use of the
system to what the machine is designed to do.
The Microsoft Update process is turned off by default to prevent interruptions during live streaming
events. It is also not advised to use a Windows 7 installation CD to add features to the system or the
appliance may fail.
You may load additional software on the appliance; however, ViewCast does not support this additional
software. You also need to ensure the primary drive is not full or the appliance will fail. In the event of a
problem, you may need to perform a Factory Restore, which returns the appliance to the original
software load. You may save the current encoder profiles and reload them when the Factory Restore is
complete.
You can perform a Factory Restore at any time. This process returns the appliance to the software load
that came with the appliance. Perform a Factory Restore if the appliance becomes unstable due to
installed applications, viruses, etc. Please refer to the user guide for instructions.
ViewCast Support can provide assistance should the appliance fail to start. In most cases, you can
restore an appliance to operation without returning it to ViewCast. There is a fee in the event a user
returns an appliance due to applications the user installed or if the appliance failed because the primary
partition (drive C) is full.
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Overview
Connecting to the Internet
The Internet is a dangerous place. Never connect a Niagara appliance directly to the Internet. Always
use a router. A basic router is sufficient to protect the appliance and you can configure the router as
needed to forward specific ports to the appliance. The router’s bandwidth should match or exceed the
speed of the appliance’s network card.
The Shields Up test by Gibson Research (http://www.grc.com/intro.htm) is a good utility to verify you do
not expose the Niagara appliance to the Internet. Select to test All service ports. The utility queries the
appliance’s outside IP address for all service ports less than 1056. All of these ports should report as
Stealth and the analysis should show the tests have passed. Ports the router has forwarded show as
open. This is OK and you should consider the test as passed.
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Niagara 4100 front panel diagram
You should familiarize yourself with the front panel controls for the Niagara 4100 (Figure 2). Besides the
basic buttons for power, start/stop, up/down and menu access, there are indicator lights that are
hidden until illuminated.
Figure 2. Niagara 4100 front panel
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Press this button once to power up the appliance. When the appliance is powered up,
press this button once will power it down.
Allows exporting files to USB devices and installing updates or firmware.
Indicates audio input presence.
Allows headphones to be connected to the appliance for audio monitoring.
Controls the audio level on the headphones.
Press this button to stop an encoder when it is highlighted on the LCD display.
Press this button to start the encoder highlighted on the LCD display.
These buttons are used for EASE menu navigation on the LCD display.
Press this button to enter or accept the menu choice highlighted on the LCD display.
This button is used for EASE menu operations.
Press this button to activate the EASE menu on the LCD display.
When the Alarm Light indicator is lit, press this button to view a log of the most recent
alarms recorded.
Press Enter to clear these alarms from the log.
Displays menus and system messages.
This light indicates when the appliance detects that a video source is connected to one of
its video inputs.
Note: This light only illuminates when you start an encoder.
Indicates that another user is accessing the appliance across the network from a
computer.
Indicates that an application alert has occurred.
When an encoder profile is assigned to one of these buttons, press the assigned button
and then Stream to start the encoder.
Press the assigned button and then Stop to stop the encoder.
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Overview
Niagara 4100 back panel diagram
Refer to Figure 3 for all the connectors and other components of the Niagara 4100 back panel.
Figure 3. Niagara 4100 back panel
A
Left/right XLR connector for balanced audio sources. XLR connectors are used by
professional audio engineers and are found on high-end audio and video playback
equipment.
Note: A microphone preamplifier or mixer with XLR preamp functions is required to
connect an XLR microphone to the balanced audio input.
14
B
Receives high-definition SDI video to the unit. This SDI input allows professional-grade video
connections.
C
Transmits high-definition SDI video from the unit.
D
Digital AES audio 1.
E
Digital AES audio 2.
F
Left/right RCA connectors for unbalanced audio sources.
G
Provides system power.
H
Connects USB control devices, such as a memory card (USB memory device, keyboard, and
mouse).
I
Use this auxiliary VGA output port to connect an external VGA monitor so you can view the
operating system interface.
J
Dual Ethernet ports provide redundant connections to your network to connect a video test
signal, such as a color bar generator, to calibrate the video settings for video capture
settings.
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Niagara 4100 User Guide
Connecting the Niagara 4100
Follow the steps in below to configure all Niagara 4100 connections. The example uses SDI video and
audio. The following steps refer to a direct connection to the Niagara 4100 only.
To connect the Niagara 4100:
1.
2.
Connect to the SDI digital input for video and audio (item B on Figure 3). Ensure you have a
tight connection.
Connect the power adaptor (item G on Figure 3).
3.
Attach the Niagara 4100 to the network input (item J on Figure 3).
4.
Press Power (item A on Figure 2).
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Overview
Niagara 4100 EASE menu
The Niagara 4100 EASE menu (Figure 4) is located on the LCD panel on the front of the unit. The menu
allows you to quickly and easily configure the Niagara 4100. You use the Up and Down arrow buttons to
navigate through the different functions on the EASE menu.
Figure 4. EASE menu
Encode
Access Health
Setup System
Export Files
Shutdown System
16



















Start an encoding session.
Stop an encoding session.
View the status of an encoding session.
Shut down Niagara 4100.
Check the CPU status.
View available memory.
Check the temperature of the unit.
Check the versions.
Set the Preset A,B,C buttons.
View network settings.
Configure primary or secondary settings.
View link status.
Set the network MAC address.
Set time and date.
Set the video standard.
Perform a factory restore.
Export files to a USB memory device.
Restart system.
Power off system.
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Niagara 4100 User Guide
Niagara 4100 home page
The home page (Figure 5) is the first page that appears after you log into the Niagara SCX Remote
Management Software. From this page, you can access the different windows for configuring,
controlling, and monitoring the activities and alerts from the Niagara 4100.
Figure 5. Niagara 4100 home page
Menu bar commands
The home page menu bar allows you to use the menu bar commands.
Home
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View general administrative information about the ViewCast
Niagara 4100.
Use the menu bar commands.
All Encoders – View the encoder profiles available to start on
the encoder box.
Preset A – Assign a loaded encoder profile to the A button on
the front panel of the Niagara 4100.
Preset B – Assign a loaded encoder profile to the B button on
the front panel of the Niagara 4100.
Preset C – Assign a loaded encoder profile to the C button on
the front panel of the Niagara 4100.
Groups - Manage specific encoders assigned to groups.
Niagara 4100 Properties – View details on the Machine
Properties of the Niagara 4100 including the Network Name,
Serial Number, and all software versions installed.
Alerts – Modify the settings for each application alert Niagara
4100 can generate during normal operations.
Network Properties – View information on Niagara 4100
network properties and addresses for both NIC ports and
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Overview
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Log Out
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modify these properties.
System Configuration – Modify the system configuration
including setup for email alerts from Niagara 4100 whenever
it encounters an operation error.
View Activity Log – View all Niagara 4100 activities including
the time and date for each event.
View Alerts – View all alerts including the time and date for
each alert.
Log out of the Niagara 4100 and return to the website login
screen.
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Niagara 4100 User Guide
Niagara 4100 browser windows flow
Figure 6 shows the interrelationship and flow of the available windows you may use to configure the
Niagara 4100.
Figure 6. Niagara 4100 browser window
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Niagara 4100 User Guide
Easy Setup
You use two interfaces to operate your Niagara 4100 streaming media appliance.
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Niagara 4100 front panel LCD display and buttons
Web interface through Niagara SCX remote management software
Most of the basic operations can be performed from the front panel of the Niagara 4100 streaming
media appliance.
You should perform most setup and operations by accessing the Niagara SCX web interface from a
computer that resides on the same network as your Niagara 4100 appliance.
With the web interface, you can customize your encoding settings and assign specific encoding profiles
to the Preset ABC buttons on the front panel. The web interface provides the ability to control your
Niagara 4100 remotely from a computer that can be rooms or continents away from the system
provided that both your Niagara 4100 and the computer have Internet access to communicate with each
other.
The easy setup option explores the optimal configurations for the novice user to easily and quickly set
up the Niagara 4100. Easy setup includes actions you can perform on your Niagara 4100 streaming
media appliance using the web interface to include configuring the following:
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Encoder settings
Groups
Network properties
Machine properties
System configuration
System alerts
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Easy Setup
Web interface
The web interface presents a logical flow of configuration information for the encoding appliance. Refer
to Figure 6 for a diagram and menu bar commands which include:
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Home
Encoders
o
All Encoders including encoder properties
o
Presets A, B, and C
o
Groups
Configuration
o
Niagara 4100 Properties
o
Alerts
o
Network Properties
o
System Configuration
Status
o
Activity Log
o
Alerts
Log Out
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Niagara 4100 User Guide
Easy first time set up
You should read all instructions, notices, and warnings in the About This Guide section prior to getting
started with your new Niagara 4100 hardware for the first time. Also, ensure you have all required parts
and meet all system requirements before installing this product.
Do not continue with the installation if you find any components missing or damaged. Contact the
ViewCast reseller where you purchased your Niagara 4100 system for assistance in obtaining any
missing or replacement parts.
Connecting to an electrical power source
Niagara 4100 ships with one of the following power cables:
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
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North America power cable
International power cable
UK power cable
To connect the power source:
1.
Attach the block end to the power input located on the Niagara 4100 AC/DC adapter.
2.
Plug the other end of the cable into a wall outlet or surge protection enabled power strip
connected to a wall outlet or other common power source.
WARNING! The plug-socket combination must remain accessible at all times as it serves as the main
disconnecting device.
Do not work on the system or connect or disconnect cables during periods of lightning activity.
WARNING! When using 4-pin XLR to cigarette car plug cables, do not disconnect the car battery
adaptor or turn off the car engine before you turn off the appliance. Doing so may damage the
appliance.
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Easy Setup
Performing the initial start up
The first time you power up the Niagara 4100, a series of menus appear on the LCD display that will
assist you in setting up the system clock, date, and video input format (NTSC (North America/Japan) or
PAL).
The steps below refer to a direct connection to the Niagara 4100 only.
To perform the initial start up:
1.
Ensure that you connect all devices (power cords, appliances, streaming devices, etc.) to the
Niagara 4100.
2.
Press Power
on the front panel to start the Niagara 4100. The LCD readout displays the
welcome screen (Figure 7).
Figure 7. Initializing messages
3.
Press Enter
. The system prompts you to set the date (Figure 8).
Figure 8. Date screen
4.
Use the Up and Down arrow buttons
5.
Press Stop to move to the field to the left. Press Stream to move to the field to the right.
6.
Use the Up and Down arrow buttons to increment the numerical value of the day and year.
to change the numerical value of the month.
Note: If you want to change a previous setting, continue pressing Stream until the cursor cycles
around to the desired field.
7.
Press Enter to accept the settings and move to the next screen to set the system clock (Figure
9). Niagara 4100 uses a 24-hour clock format for its system clock entries.
Figure 9. Time screen
8.
Use the Up and Down arrow buttons to change the numerical value of the hour.
9.
Press Stream to enter the value and move to the Minute field.
10. Use the Up and Down arrow buttons to change the numerical value of the minute.
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Niagara 4100 User Guide
11. Press Enter to set the format. The screen appears (Figure 10) confirming you have successfully
set up your Niagara 4100.
Figure 10. Confirmation screen
12. Press Enter to exit the setup menu and reboot the appliance. The following screen appears:
Figure 11. Booting screen
Connecting to an IP network
The Niagara 4100 network settings for its network interfaces default to dynamically obtain an IP address
from a DHCP server on the network. If a DHCP server is not available or is not found on the network,
then Niagara 4100 assigns its own IP address.
If you are not familiar with network protocols, contact your network administrator for assistance.
Changing the network settings
For most network environments, it will not be necessary to modify these default settings. However, if
you wish to assign a static IP address or Gateway address to the appliance’s Network Interface Cards
(NICs), then you can change the network setting using the EASE menu.
To change the network settings:
1.
Press Menu. The EASE menu appears.
2.
Use the Up and Down arrow buttons to select the Setup System option.
3.
Press Enter. The setup menu displays (Figure 12).
Figure 12. Setup menu
4.
Use the Up and Down arrow buttons to select Network.
5.
Press Enter. The network interface screen appears (Figure 13).
Figure 13. Interface screen
6.
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Use the Up and Down arrow buttons to select the network interface you wish to modify.
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Easy Setup
7.
Press Enter. The settings screen appears (Figure 14).
Figure 14. Settings screen
8.
Use the Up and Down arrow buttons to select Change Settings.
9.
Press Enter. A screen appears that displays the various network settings.
10. Select the network setting you wish to change.
Note: Once you modify the setting, the system saves the changes until you modify the settings
again or until you restore the system back to its original factory settings.
11. Press Enter. The network settings screen displays (Figure 15).
Figure 15. Network settings screen
12. Use the Up and Down arrow buttons to select DHCP On/Off.
13. Press Enter. The enable DHCP screen appears (Figure 16).
Figure 16. Enable DHCP screen
Note: Press Menu to cancel this action and exit.
14. Use the Up and Down arrow buttons to select Yes.
15. Press Enter. The screen with the network settings appears.
16. Repeat steps 12 through 15 to modify another network setting.
17. Use the Up and Down arrow buttons to enter a static address for the IP and/or Gateway
address.
18. Press Enter. The IP address screen appears (Figure 17).
Figure 17. IP address screen
19. Use the Up and Down arrow buttons to change the numeric value incrementally and enter
either the static IP or Gateway address.
20. Press Stream to move to the next field.
21. Press Enter. The subnet address screen appears (Figure 18).
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Niagara 4100 User Guide
Figure 18. Subnet address screen
22. Use the Up and Down arrow buttons to change the numeric value incrementally and enter the
subnet address.
23. Press Enter.
Note: To remove a static IP and/or Gateway address, follow steps 12 through 15 to enable
DHCP. The system removes any previously entered static address.
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Niagara 4100 User Guide
Basic Operations
You may customize your encoder settings and assign specific encoder profiles using the front panel.
Starting up
If this is the first time you are using the Niagara 4100, refer to the Performing the initial start up section
before continuing.
To start up:
1.
Press Power
. The LCD readout displays the initializing messages (Figure 19).
Figure 19. Initializing messages
When the system is ready, the LCD display alternates between status readouts similar to the
following:
2.
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Press Menu. The EASE menu appears.
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Basic Operations
Shutting down
Allow the Niagara 4100 to power down normally. If you force the system to shut down improperly, your
data can be corrupted. If so, the next time you start the system it can take several minutes to complete
startup.
To shut down:
1.
Press Menu. Tab down to Shutdown System (Figure 20).
Figure 20. EASE menu
2.
Press Enter. The shutdown screen appears (Figure 21).
Figure 21. Shutdown screen
3.
Tab to Power Off System. Press Enter. The Power Off System? screen appears.
Figure 22. Power off screen
4.
Tab to Yes and press Enter. The shutdown screens appear.
Figure 23. Shutdown screens
The system shuts down.
You can also shut down the system using the following steps:
1.
Briefly press Power. The system stopping messages appear (Figure 24).
Figure 24. System stopping messages
After a few seconds, the system powers off.
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Niagara 4100 User Guide
Starting an encoder
Niagara 4100 is a single-channel encoder, which means you can only connect and stream one audio and
video source at any given time. However, you can stream the same audio and video at multiple data
rates and multiple formats to provide the best user experience for different viewing audiences.
For example, you can stream Windows Media at full resolution at 1500 kbps and at the same time
stream Adobe Flash at CIF resolution at 500 kbps.
The Niagara 4100 LCD displays a list of available encoder profiles you can ue and the current status of
each.
To start an encoder:
1.
Press Stream on the front panel of your Niagara 4100. A list of available encoder profiles you
can use and the current status of each appears (Figure 25).
Figure 25. Encoder screen
Note: The system abbreviates the name of each encoder profile to the first 10 characters. When
creating names for custom profiles, be sure to create unique names that will be
distinguishable by the first 10 characters.
2.
3.
Use the Up and Down arrow buttons to select the encoder profile you want Niagara 4100 to
use for this encoding session.
Press Stream to start the encoder. The starting screen appears (Figure 26).
Figure 26. Starting screen
The encoder screen appears indicating that the encoder you selected has begun streaming
(Figure 27).
Figure 27. Encoder screen
Note: If the encoder you started is assigned to one of the Preset ABC buttons, the corresponding
button illuminates during and after the starting process.
4.
Repeat this method to start streaming multiple encoders at the same time.
WARNING! There is a limit to how many encoders the Niagara 4100 can stream at one time. If
you exceed this limit, the streams will drop frames and the video will apppear to stutter
resulting in a poor viewer experience. If you do not reduce the number of streams to lessen
the CPU load, all encoders could self-terminate without warning. Refer to the Checking
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Basic Operations
CPU usage section to understand the limitations.
After the encoder session has successfully begun, the LCD display returns to the previous display of
available encoders. The screen will indicate that the encoder profile you selected has begun encoding.
The video detection light illuminates if horizontal video sync is detected on either the S-Video or
Composite video input of the Niagara 4100.
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Niagara 4100 User Guide
Checking CPU usage
When the Niagara 4100 is idle (no encoders are streaming), the CPU percentage is normally 4 % or less.
If one or more encoders are streaming, the percentage is much higher and fluctuates in a range of +/- 10
%. If the system is using less than 70 %, you may start another encoder without adversely affecting
system performance (depending on the complexity of the profile).
To check CPU usage:
1.
Press Menu. The EASE menu appears.
2.
Use the Up and Down arrow buttons to select Access Health.
3.
Press Enter. The access menu appears (Figure 28).
Figure 28. Access menu
4.
Use the Up and Down arrow buttons to select CPU.
5.
Press Enter. A screen appears (Figure 29) with the amount of CPU cycles currently in use.
Figure 29. CPU cycles screen
6.
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Press Enter.
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Basic Operations
Stopping an encoder
To stop an encoder:
1.
Press Menu. The EASE menu appears.
2.
Press Enter. The encoder screen appears.
3.
Use the Up and Down arrow buttons to highlight the encoder you wish to stop.
4.
Press Stop. The encoder screen appears (Figure 30) showing the status of each encoder.
Figure 30. Encoder screen
5.
Use the Up and Down arrow buttons to select the encoder you want to terminate.
6.
Press Stop. The stopping screen appears (Figure 31).
Figure 31. Stopping screen
7.
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Press Menu. The EASE menu appears.
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Niagara 4100 User Guide
Connecting an external storage device
The Niagara 4100 has one USB port on the front panel and one on the back panel. You can connect
almost any standard USB memory device to one or both of these ports. You can then export any
audiovisual files you may have created on Niagara 4100’s local storage drive. The local storage drive is
drive D when you use the Save to File setting from the web interface.
When you insert a USB memory device in one of the USB ports on the Niagara 4100, the appliance
automatically detects the removable storage device, and assigns a drive letter to the device. This device
can capture files directly or you can use the Niagara 4100 Export Files function on the front panel menu.
Exporting captured video files
You can export your captured video files to an external USB drive. But first you must set a default
location through the web interface. Refer to Configuring default directory setting before completing the
steps below.
To export captured video files:
1.
Insert a USB memory device into a USB port
2.
Press Menu. The EASE menu appears.
3.
Use the Up and Down arrow buttons and highlight the Export Files option (Figure 32).
Figure 32. EASE menu
4.
Press Enter. The USB device screen appears (Figure 33).
Figure 33. USB Device screen
5.
Press Enter. The drive destination screens appear (Figure 34).
Figure 34. Drive Destination screens
6.
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Use the Up and Down arrows to select the USB drive.
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Basic Operations
7.
Press Enter. The select folder screen appears (Figure 35).
Figure 35. Select Folder screen
The select source screen appears (Figure 36).
Figure 36. Select source screen
8.
Use the Up and Down arrows to select the desired directory.
9.
Press Enter. The filename screen appears (Figure 37).
Figure 37. Filename screen
10.
Use the Up and Down arrows to select the desired file to transfer.
11.
Press Enter. While the Niagara 4100 exports the file, the exporting screens appear (Figure 38).
Figure 38. Exporting screens
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Niagara 4100 User Guide
Advanced Operations
The Niagara 4100 includes a web interface, which allows you to access the advanced system settings.
The web interface also provides detailed settings and control over the encoder profiles installed on
Niagara 4100.
Advanced operations include but are not limited to the following:
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Creating an encoder
Viewing all encoders
Starting/stopping an encoder
Editing an encoder
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Configuring the Preset ABC buttons
Configuring machine properties
Viewing alert status
Configure network properties
Creating a group
The web interface does not require software and works with any computer that has a current web
browser, including Windows®, Macintosh®, and Linux® machines. For the best user experience,
ViewCast recommends Internet Explorer (you may need to use the compatibility mode). The Niagara
4100 must either reside on a shared IP network with the computer or can be directly connected to a
Windows computer using an Ethernet cable (RJ45).
Logging in
To log in:
1.
You can either locate the serial number:
 On the underside of the appliance (in the format hsxxxxxx).
Or
 On the LCD display when the system is idle (Figure 39).
Figure 39. System Ready screen
Note: If the system ready screen does not immediately display, use the Up and Down arrow
buttons to toggle through the system information until the system ready screen appears.
2.
Open the web browser on your computer.
3.
You can either:
 Type the Niagara 4100 serial number in the Address bar (Figure 40).
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Advanced Operations
Figure 40. Serial number
Or

Type the IP address in the Address bar (Figure 41).
Figure 41. IP address
Note: The IP address appears on the system ready screen when the system is idle.
The Admin Log In window appears (Figure 42).
Figure 42. Admin Log In window
4.
Type the User Name and Password.
IMPORTANT! The setting to log in for the first time, defaults to the user name admin and the
password admin.
Note: System administrators should previously configure all user names and passwords for
those who they allow to log on to the system.
5.
Press Login. The Niagara 4100 Welcome Window and menu bar appear (Figure 43).
Figure 43. Welcome window
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Viewing all encoders
The Encoders window (Figure 44) provides a list of all of the encoder profiles loaded on the Niagara
4100. On the home page click Encoders  All Encoders.
Figure 44. Encoders window
A
Displays the amount of CPU usage.
B
Click this link to create a new encoder.
C
Displays the total number of encoders.
D
Click this link to edit the encoder properties, streaming settings, and advanced
streaming settings.
E
Click this link to delete an encoder from the list.
F
Displays the encoder type (for example Flash).
G
Displays the name of the encoder profile. This name appears on the LCD display on the
front panel.
H
Displays the status of the last action.
I
Displays the message for the last action.
J
Displays as either Started (blue circle button) or Stopped (red circle button) as the
options for streaming for this encoder. You can start or stop an encoder by clicking the
icons.
K
Click this link to view encoder groups.
L
Click this link to stop all encoders.
You can also view encoders by clicking on the View All Encoders link at the bottom of the Preset A, B, or
C window.
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Advanced Operations
Creating an encoder
To create an encoder, on the home page click Encoders.
To create an encoder:
1.
Click the Create New Encoder link. The Create New Encoder window displays (Figure 45).
Figure 45. Create New Encoder window
2.
Select the Encoder Type from the drop-down list.
3.
Enter the name of the encoder.
Note: Valid characters are alphanumeric, space, dash, and dot.
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4.
To use the same properties from another encoder, enable Clone Properties From.
5.
Select the encoder from the drop-down list.
6.
Click Create New Encoder.
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Starting an encoder
To start an encoder, on the home page click Encoders  All Encoders.
To start an encoder:
1.
Click the red circle Stopped icon (Figure 46) in the Streaming column for the encoder you want
to start streaming.
Figure 46. Stopped icon
Messages appear detailing the encoder start progress (Figure 47).
Figure 47. Starting encoder
The Encoders window appears with the encoder status updated and the streaming indicator
changes to a blue circle Started icon (Figure 48).
Figure 48. Encoders window
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Advanced Operations
Stopping an encoder
To stop an encoder, on the home page click Encoders  All Encoders.
To stop an encoder:
1.
Click the blue Started icon of the encoder you wish to stop streaming (Figure 49).
Figure 49. Started icon
Messages appear detailing the encoder stop progress (Figure 50).
Figure 50. Encoder stopped
The Encoders window appears with the encoder status updated to reflect the Stopped mode
(Figure 51).
Figure 51. Encoders window
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Editing an Adaptive Apple HTTP encoder
When you create a new encoder, the Encoder Properties window appears. The Encoder Properties
windows for editing a new encoder or an existing encoder are identical. You must configure the audio
and video settings for each encoder type.
Use the Video, Audio, Output, and Security tabs to edit the settings. Begin with configuring the video
and audio settings, then the streaming properties. The streaming properties and advanced streaming
settings are different for each type of encoder.
You have two options for for a publisher on the adaptive encoder:
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
Apple HTTP Live Streaming
Adobe Flash Dynamic Streaming
The fields on the Output tab and the Security tab are different depending on the type of publisher.
From the Adaptive Apple HTTP Encoder Properties window (Figure 52), you can set the encoder to start
streaming automatically by clicking the Auto Start checkbox. You can also start the encoder from this
window by clicking the Start Adaptive Encoder link in the top right corner of the window.
Click Encoders  All Encoders from the home page. Then select the Edit link next to the adaptive
encoder whose properties you wish to modify. The system displays the Encoder Properties window for
the selected encoder.
IMPORTANT! If you make any changes to the Encoder Properties window, you must click Submit.
Otherwise, all your changes will be lost.
Figure 52. Adaptive Encoder Properties
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Advanced Operations
Video tab
Figure 53. Video tab
To configure video settings:
1.
In the Source field, the default is Osprey-700 HD Video Device 1.
Note: Because the Niagara 4100 is a single-channel encoder, you can only connect and stream
one audio and video source at any given time. However, you can encode the same audio
and video at multiple data rates and multiple formats to provide the best user experience
for different viewing audiences.
2.
In the Input field, select the video input.
IMPORTANT! The video input must match the connectors on the back of the Niagara 4100 and
your video source.
3.
The Proportions field setting is Standard (square pixels for a VGA monitor).
4.
In the Size field, select the pixel size of the encoded video. The standard sizes include:
 Standard
 Wide screen
 Custom
You can also specify a custom size for your video. This customization is useful when you are
capturing video to be played on a mobile video-device that requires a non-standard size for
compatibility.
When you click Custom, two additional fields appear so you can enter the exact size you want
the resulting video to be (Figure 54).
Figure 54. Custom fields
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5.
Select the Frame Rate from the drop-down list.
6.
Drag the sliders to adjust the Gamma, Brightness, Contrast, Hue, and Saturation (Figure 55).
Figure 55. Video Filter Settings
Note: Click the Restore button to the right of the filter to reset the settings to the default.
7.
Click the De-Interlace setting you want to apply (Figure 56). Options include:
 None
– Performs no de-interlacing of any kind.
 Bob0
– Applies inverse telecine de-interlacing to all telecine video.
– Applies motion adaptive de-interlacing to all video that is not telecine.
– Switches dynamically between the two modes as the content changes.
– Available for NTSC video only.
 Bob1
– Drops the redundant fields and reassembles the video in a 24 fps progressive format.
– Applies inverse telecine de-interlacing to all telecine video.
– Performs no de-interlacing of video that is not telecine.
–Available for NTSC video only.
 Advanced
– Is an algorithm for de-interlacing pure video (non-telecine) content.
– Applies motion adaptive interlacing to all video. It detects which portions of the image
are still and which portions are in motion then applies different processing to each
scenario.
Figure 56. De-Interlace settings
Note: Telecine and inverse telecine only apply to NTSC video. They are not used for PAL and
SECAM video. The system disables Bob0 and Bob1 choices when you select either PAL or
SECAM as the video standard.
8.
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Click Submit.
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Advanced Operations
Audio tab
Figure 57. Audio tab
To configure audio settings:
1.
In the Source field, click a device from the drop-down list.
 AES Input 1 (Osprey-700 HD 1)
 AES Input 2 (Osprey-700 HD 1)
 Bal Input (Osprey-700 HD 1)
 Digital Audio (S/PDIF) (High De
 SDI Input 1 (Osprey-700 HD 1)
 SDI Input 2 (Osprey-700 HD 1)
 SDI Input 3 (Osprey-700 HD 1)
 SDI Input 4 (Osprey-700 HD 1)
 Unbal Input 1 (Osprey-700 HD 1)
Note: Because the Niagara 4100 is a single-channel encoder, you can only connect and stream
one audio and video source at any given time. However, you can encode the same audio
and video at multiple data rates and multiple formats to provide the best user experience
for different viewing audiences.
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2.
Drag the slider to adjust the Volume.
3.
Click the checkbox to Mute Audio.
4.
Click Submit.
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Niagara 4100 User Guide
Apple HTTP Live Streaming Output tab
Figure 58. Apple HTTP Live Streaming Output tab
To configure output settings:
1.
In the Publisher field, click Apple HTTP Live Streaming.
Note: Because the Niagara 4100 is a single-channel encoder, you can only connect and stream
one audio and video source at any given time. However, you can encode the same audio
and video at multiple data rates and multiple formats to provide the best user experience
for different viewing audiences.
2.
3.
Enable each Stream Rate you want to be available. The bandwidth is cumulative so you must
be careful not to exceed your network capability.
In the Initial Rate field, select a rate from the drop-down list.
4.
In the Media Segment File, select the duration in seconds.
5.
(Optional) Enable Add statistics overlay.
6.
(Optional) Enable Allow client to cache content.
7.
8.
Enable Stream to HTTP Network Host.
Select the Host Address:
 http://
 ftp://
Then enter the address in the next field.
Indicate the maximum HTTP Cache by dragging the slider for the number of files to maintain.
A duration will be shown in seconds.
Enable Create unique Subfolder to create a file that the system does not overwrite.
Enter the name of the Subfolder.
Enable Stream to File System.
Accept the default location that displays in the Folder field. If the field is blank, click the
default folder link to automatically populate the field.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
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Advanced Operations
Note: By default, the system sets this folder to D:\AVFiles. See Exporting captured video files
for instructions on saving video files to a USB device.
WARNING! ViewCast strongly recommends you do not alter the default directory setting
unless you fully understand the risk of saving your files to a directory not located on drive
D. If you save your files to another drive on the Niagara 4100, the system could delete the
files when you use the Restore to Niagara 4100 Factory Defaults feature.
Only drive D on the Niagara 4100 has available storage to save your files. Check drive
properties for available free space to determine your storage capacity.
Use drives C, E, and F strictly for Niagara 4100 operational programs. Any modifications
to these drives can permanently damage your system and void your warranty.
A better practice would be to use a Flash Media server to save a file or to save it to a
remote drive. If you inadvertantly fill all available space, you risk losing your stream
during a streaming event.
14.
Enter the variant playlist file in the Filename field.
Note: The HTTP Address that displays at the bottom of the window is a combination of the
Host Address, Subfolder, and Filename.
The File System that displays at the bottom of the window is a combination of the Folder,
Subfolder, and HTTP Address.
Figure 59. Transport Settings
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Apple HTTP Live Streaming Security tab via FTP
Figure 60. Apple HTTP Live Streaming Security tab via FTP
To configure security settings:
1.
Select the Authentication Type.
Note: If http: is selected as the Host Address on the Output tab, the option is Akamai Token
Authentication.
2.
Enter the Query String.
Note: You can enter a minimum of 5 characters and a maximum of 12 characters.
3.
Enter the password in the Salt field.
Note: You can enter a maximum of 20 characters.
4.
Enable Encrypt Media Segment Files to protect the content.
5.
Select the Key File.
Note: http:// is currently the only choice.
6.
ViewCast
Enter the URL in the next field.
49
Advanced Operations
Editing an Adaptive Adobe Flash encoder
When you create a new encoder, the Encoder Properties window appears. The Encoder Properties
windows for editing a new encoder or an existing encoder are identical. You must configure the audio
and video settings for each encoder type.
Use the Video, Audio, Output, and Security tabs to edit the settings. Begin with configuring the video
and audio settings, then the streaming properties. The streaming properties and advanced streaming
settings are different for each type of encoder.
You have two options for for a publisher on the adaptive encoder:


Apple HTTP Live Streaming
Adobe Flash Dynamic Streaming
The fields on the Output tab and the Security tab are different depending on the type of publisher.
From the Adaptive Adobe Flash Encoder Properties window (Figure 61), you can set the encoder to start
streaming automatically by clicking the Auto Start checkbox. You can also start the encoder from this
window by clicking the Start Flash Encoder link in the top right corner of the window.
Click Encoders  All Encoders from the home page. Then select the Edit link next to the Adaptive Adobe
Flash encoder whose properties you wish to modify. The system displays the Encoder Properties window
for the selected encoder.
IMPORTANT! If you make any changes to the Encoder Properties window, you must click Submit.
Otherwise, all your changes will be lost.
Figure 61. Adaptive Adobe Flash Encoder Properties
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Niagara 4100 User Guide
Video tab
Flash adds some additional frame and bit rate controls. The frame rate changes the frames per second
that the video will be encoded. You can use the audio format setting to modify the audio frequency and
change stereo to mono. The bit rate settings pertain to the amount of data per second the audio and
video are captured. Decreasing the bit rate for both or either decreases the playback viewing quality.
Figure 62. Video tab
To configure video settings:
1.
In the Source field, the default is Osprey-700 HD Video Device 1.
Note: Because the Niagara 4100 is a single-channel encoder, you can only connect and stream
one audio and video source at any given time. However, you can encode the same audio
and video at multiple data rates and multiple formats to provide the best user experience
for different viewing audiences.
2.
In the Input field, the video input is SerialDigital.
3.
The Proportions field setting is Standard (square pixels for a VGA monitor).
4.
In the Size field, select the pixel size of the encoded video. The standard sizes include:
 Standard
 Widescreen
 Custom
You can also specify a custom size for your video. This customization is useful when you are
capturing video to be played on a mobile video-device that requires a non-standard size for
compatibility.
When you click Custom, two additional fields appear so you can enter the exact size you want
the resulting video to be (Figure 63).
ViewCast
51
Advanced Operations
Figure 63. Custom fields
Note: Choosing a size larger than 1280 x 420 is not recommended due to the high data rates
CPU usage required.
5.
Select the Frame Rate from the dro-down list.
6.
Drag the sliders to adjust the Gamma, Brightness, Contrast, Hue, and Saturation (Figure 64).
Figure 64. Video Filter Settings
Note: Click the Restore button to the right of the filter to reset the settings to the default.
7.
52
Click the De-Interlace setting you want to apply (Figure 65). Options include:
 None
– Performs no de-interlacing of any kind.
 Bob0
– Applies inverse telecine de-interlacing to all telecine video.
– Applies motion adaptive de-interlacing to all video that is not telecine.
– Switches dynamically between the two modes as the content changes.
– Available for NTSC video only.
 Bob1
– Drops the redundant fields and reassembles the video in a 24 fps progressive format.
– Applies inverse telecine de-interlacing to all telecine video.
– Performs no de-interlacing of video that is not telecine.
–Available for NTSC video only.
 Advanced
– Is an algorithm for de-interlacing pure video (non-telecine) content.
– Applies motion adaptive interlacing to all video. It detects which portions of the image
are still and which portions are in motion then applies different processing to each
scenario.
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Niagara 4100 User Guide
Figure 65. De-Interlace settings
Note: Telecine and inverse telecine only apply to NTSC video. They are not used for PAL and
SECAM video. The system disables Auto and Inverse Telecine choices when you select
either PAL or SECAM as the video standard.
8.
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Click Submit.
53
Advanced Operations
Audio tab
Figure 66. Audio tab
To configure audio settings:
1.
In the Source field, select an audio source from the drop-down list:
 AES Input 1 (Osprey-700 HD 1)
 AES Input 2 (Osprey-700 HD 1)
 AES Input 3 (Osprey-700 HD 1)
 AES Input 4 (Osprey-700 HD 1)
 Digital Audio (S/PDIF (High De
 SDI Input 1 (Osprey-700 HD 1)
 SDI Input 2 (Osprey-700 HD 1)
 SDI Input 3 (Osprey-700 HD 1)
 SDI Input 4 (Osprey-700 HD 1)
IMPORTANT! The audio input must match the connectors on the back of the Niagara 4100
and your audio source.
54
2.
Drag the slider to adjust the Volume.
3.
(Optional) Click to Mute Audio.
4.
Click Submit.
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Niagara 4100 User Guide
Adobe Flash Dynamic Streaming Output tab
Figure 67. Adobe Flash Dynamic Streaming Output tab
To configure output settings:
1.
In the Publisher field, select Adobe Flash Dynamic Streaming.
Note: Because the Niagara 4100 is a single-channel encoder, you can only connect and stream
one audio and video source at any given time. However, you can encode the same audio
and video at multiple data rates and multiple formats to provide the best user experience
for different viewing audiences.
2.
3.
Enable each Stream Rate that you want to be available. The bandwidth is cumulative so you
must be careful not to exceed your network capability.
Select the Duration of the GOP in seconds.
4.
Enable the Embed System Time as Timecode.
5.
Enter the Frame Interval.
6.
(Optional) Enable the Add statistics overlay.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
Enable the Stream to Flash Media Server.
Enter the FMS Address.
Enter the Stream Name.
Enable Stream to File System.
Accept the default location that displays in the Folder field. If this field is blank, click the
default folder link to automatically populate the field.
Note: By default, the system sets this folder to D:\AVFiles. See Exporting captured video files
for instructions on saving video files to a USB device.
WARNING! ViewCast strongly recommends you do not alter the default directory setting
unless you fully understand the risk of saving your files to a directory not located on drive
D. If you save your files to another drive on the Niagara 4100, the system could delete the
files when you use the Restore to Niagara 4100 Factory Defaults feature.
ViewCast
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Advanced Operations
Only drive D on the Niagara 4100 has available storage to save your files. Check drive
properties for available free space to determine your storage capacity.
Use drives C, E, and F strictly for Niagara 4100 operational programs. Any modifications
to these drives can permanently damage your system and void your warranty.
A better practice would be to use a Flash Media server to save a file or to save it to a
remote drive. If you inadvertantly fill all available space, you risk losing your stream
during a streaming event.
12.
Enter the Filename.
Note: The RTMP Address that displays at the bottom of the window is the Host Address, FMS
Address.
The File System that displays at the bottom of the window is a combination of the Folder
and Filename.
Figure 68. Transport Settings
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Niagara 4100 User Guide
Adobe Flash Dynamic Streaming Security tab
Figure 69. Adobe Flash Dynamic Streaming Security tab
To configure security settings:
1.
2.
Select the Authentication Type for transport type:
 Akamai Entry Point
 LimeLight Server
Enter the Username.
Note: You can enter a maximum of 80 characters.
3.
Enter the Password.
Note: You can enter a maximum of 20 characters.
ViewCast
57
Advanced Operations
Editing an Adobe Flash H.264 encoder
When you create a new encoder, the Encoder Properties window appears. The Encoder Properties
windows for editing a new encoder or an existing encoder are identical. You must configure the audio
and video settings for each encoder type.
Use the Video, Audio, Output, and H.264 Presets tabs to edit the settings. Configure the video and audio
settings, then the streaming properties. The streaming properties and advanced streaming settings are
different for each type of encoder.
From the Flash Encoder Properties window (Figure 70), you can set the encoder to start streaming
automatically by clicking the Auto Start checkbox. You can also start the encoder from this window by
clicking the Start Flash Encoder link in the top right corner of the window.
Click Encoders  All Encoders from the home page. Then select the Edit link next to the encoder whose
properties you wish to modify. The system displays the Encoder Properties window for the selected
encoder.
IMPORTANT! If you make any changes to the Encoder Properties window, you must click Submit.
Otherwise, all your changes will be lost.
Figure 70. Flash Encoder Properties
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Niagara 4100 User Guide
Video tab
Flash adds some additional frame and bit rate controls. The frame rate changes the frames per second
that the video will be encoded. The bit rate settings pertain to the amount of data per second the audio
and video are captured.
Figure 71. Video tab
To configure video input settings:
1.
In the Source field, click a device from the drop-down list.
 Osprey-700 HD Video Device 1
 Disabled
Note: Because the Niagara 4100 is a single-channel encoder, you can only connect and stream
one audio and video source at any given time. However, you can encode the same audio
and video at multiple data rates and multiple formats to provide the best user experience
for different viewing audiences.
2.
In the Input field, the video input is SerialDigital.
3.
The Proportions field setting is Standard (square pixels for VGA monitor).
4.
In the Size field, click the pixel size of the encoded video from the drop-down list.
 HD 1280x720
 CIF for video scaled from full-size to ¼ size
 QCIF for video scaled from full-size to ¼ size
 Custom
You can also specify a custom size for your video. This customization is useful when you are
capturing video to be played on a mobile video-device that requires a non-standard size for
compatibility.
When you click Custom, two additional fields appear so you can enter the exact size you want
the resulting video to be (Figure 72).
ViewCast
59
Advanced Operations
Figure 72. Custom fields
Note: Choosing a size larger than 1280 x 720 is not recommended due to the high data
rate and CPU usage required.
5.
Enter the frames per second in the Frame Rate field.
6.
Enter the Bitrate.
7.
Drag the sliders to adjust the Gamma, Brightness, Contrast, Hue, and Saturation (Figure 64).
Figure 73. Video Filter Settings
Note: Click Restore to the right of the filter to reset the settings to the default.
8.
60
Click the De-Interlace setting you want to apply (Figure 74). Options include:
 None
– Performs no de-interlacing of any kind.
 Bob0
– Applies inverse telecine de-interlacing to all telecine video.
– Applies motion adaptive de-interlacing to all video that is not telecine.
– Switches dynamically between the two modes as the content changes.
– Available for NTSC video only.
 Bob1
– Drops the redundant fields and reassembles the video in a 24 fps progressive format.
– Applies inverse telecine de-interlacing to all telecine video.
– Performs no de-interlacing of video that is not telecine.
–Available for NTSC video only.
 Advanced
– Is an algorithm for de-interlacing pure video (non-telecine) content.
– Applies motion adaptive interlacing to all video. It detects which portions of the image
are still and which portions are in motion then applies different processing to each
scenario.
ViewCast
Niagara 4100 User Guide
Figure 74. De-Interlace Settings
Note: Telecine and inverse telecine only apply to NTSC video. They are not used for PAL and
SECAM video. The system disables Bob0 and Bob1 choices when you select either PAL or
SECAM as the video standard.
9.
ViewCast
Click Submit.
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Advanced Operations
Audio tab
Figure 75. Audio tab
To configure audio settings:
1.
In the Source field, select an audio source from the drop-down list.
 Disabled
 AES Input 1 (Osprey-700 HD 1)
 AES Input 2 (Osprey-700 HD 1)
 Bal Input 1 (Osprey-700 HD 1)
 SDI Input 1 (Osprey-700 HD 1)
 SDI Input 2 (Osprey-700 HD 1)
 SDI Input 3 (Osprey-700 HD 1)
 SDI Input 4 (Osprey-700 HD 1)
 Unbal Input 1 (Osprey-700 HD-1)
IMPORTANT! The audio input must match the source connected on the back of the Niagara
4100 and your audio source.
62
3.
Click the Format from the drop-down list.
4.
Click the Bitrate from the drop-down list.
5.
Click the Audio Encoder from the drop-down list.
6.
Touch and drag the slider to adjust the Volume.
7.
(Optional) Click the Mute Audio checkbox to disable audio.
8.
Click Submit.
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Niagara 4100 User Guide
Output tab
You need Adobe Flash Media Server 3.5 or greater to stream Flash H.264.
Figure 76. Output tab
To configure output settings:
1.
Click the Enable Streaming checkbox to enable live Flash streaming.
2.
Enter the proper IP address in the Server Address field.
3.
Enter the Stream Name.
4.
5.
Click the Server Type from the drop-down list. Options are available for streaming directly to
Akamai and Limelight CDNs.
Enter the User Name and Password.
6.
(Optional) Enable Embed System Time as Timecode.
7.
(Optional) Click the Frame Interval from the drop-down list.
8.
Enable Save to File to save the encoded content to a file. Each time you start this encoder, the
system overwrites the previous file.
Note: You must enable either Enable Streaming or Save to File. If both Enable Streaming and
Save to File are disabled, the encoder will not start and an error is generated.
9.
Enable Create unique file to create a file that the system does not overwrite.
10.
Accept the default location that displays in the File Name field or choose your own location
for the file. To choose your own personal location select the link (horizontal ellipses or … ) to
the right of the File Name field and display the options (Figure 77).
Note: By default, the system sets this folder to D:\AVFiles\ with a default filename of
capture.xxx.
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Advanced Operations
Figure 77. Save to File Location
WARNING! ViewCast strongly recommends you do not alter the default directory setting
unless you fully understand the risk of saving your files to a directory not located on drive
D. If you save your files to another drive on the Niagara 4100, the system could delete the
files when you use the Restore to Niagara 4100 Factory Defaults feature.
Only drive D on the Niagara 4100 has available storage to save your files. Check drive
properties for available free space to determine your storage capacity.
Use drives C, E, and F strictly for Niagara 4100 operational programs. Any modifications
to these drives can permanently damage your system and void your warranty.
A better practice would be to use the Flash Media server to save a file or to save it to a
remote drive. If you inadvertantly fill all available space, you risk losing your stream
during a streaming event.
64
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Niagara 4100 User Guide
H.264 Presets tab
You can edit specific H.264 encoder settings or you can select a custom preset to use typical settings for
your profile. These advanced settings affect the way the Encoder performs and if set incorrectly may
lead to abnormal encoder operations (Figure 76). Refer to Appendix B for suggested values for the type
of video you are streaming and a complete list of typical settings.
Figure 78. H.264 Presets tab
To configure H.264 settings:
1.
Click Edit next to the setting you want to modify.
IMPORTANT! These advanced settings affect the way the Encoder performs and if set
incorrectly may lead to abnormal encoder operations. Refer to Appendix B: H.264
Advanced Settings for suggested values for the type of video you are streaming.
2.
Change the value.
3.
Click Update.
4.
Click the Restore Defaults link at the bottom of the window to return the settings to the
defaults.
Note: The database has seven profiles. Clicking Restore Defaults for one profile will change
all profiles back to the default settings.
ViewCast
65
Advanced Operations
Editing an MPEG-4 encoder
When you create a new encoder, the Encoder Properties window appears. The Encoder Properties
windows for editing a new encoder or an existing encoder are identical. You must configure the audio
and video settings for each encoder type.
Use the Video, Audio, Output, and H.264 Presets tabs to edit the settings. Begin with configuring the
video and audio settings, then the streaming properties. The streaming properties and advanced
streaming settings are different for each type of encoder.
From the MPEG Encoder Properties window (Figure 79), you can set the encoder to start streaming
automatically by clicking the Auto Start checkbox. You can also start the encoder from this window by
clicking the Start MPEG4 Encoder Driver link in the top right corner of the window.
Click Encoders  All Encoders from the home page. Then select the Edit link next to the MPEG encoder
whose properties you wish to modify. The system displays the Encoder Properties window for the
selected encoder.
IMPORTANT! If you make any changes to the Encoder Properties window, you must click Submit.
Otherwise, all your changes will be lost.
Figure 79. MPEG4 Encoder Properties
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Niagara 4100 User Guide
Video tab
Figure 80. Video tab
To configure video settings:
1.
In the Source field, click a device from the drop-down list:
 Osprey-700 HD Video Device 1
 Disabled
Note: Because the Niagara 4100 is a single-channel encoder, you can only connect and stream
one audio and video source at any given time. However, you can stream the same audio
and video at multiple data rates and multiple formats to provide the best user experience
for different viewing audiences.
2.
In the Size field, select the pixel size of the encoded video. The standard sizes include:
 HD 1280 x 720
 Full-size for full screen video
 CIF for video scaled from full-size to ½ size
 QCIF for video scaled from full-size to ¼ size
 Custom
You can also specify a custom size for your video. This customization is useful when you are
capturing video to be played on a mobile video-device that requires a non-standard size for
compatibility.
When you click Custom, two additional fields appear so you can enter the exact size you want
the resulting video to be (Figure 81).
Figure 81. Custom fields
Note: CIF and QCIF are proportional to the HD video resolution input.
3.
ViewCast
Click the type of Video Encoder for Internet video, mobile phones set top boxes, and create
67
Advanced Operations
media files for other MPEG-4 compatible devices such as iPods according to the following
Motion Picture Expert Group (MPEG) types (refer to Table 1 and Table 2).
IMPORTANT! Choose the container type (MP4, 3G2, and 3GP) on the Output tab.
4.
Enter the frames per second in the Frame Rate field.
5.
Enter the kilobits per second in the Bitrate field.
6.
In the Format field, indicate the color space format.
IMPORTANT! If you specify a video size incompatible with the color space of your source
video, the system will automatically correct the size to the closes compatible setting when
you click Submit.
7.
Drag the sliders to adjust the Gamma, Brightness, Contrast, Hue, and Saturation (Figure 82).
Figure 82. Video Filter Settings
Note: Click Restore to the right of the filter to reset the settings to the default.
8.
68
Click the De-Interlace setting you want to apply (Figure 83). Options include:
 None
– Performs no de-interlacing of any kind.
 Bob0
– Applies inverse telecine de-interlacing to all telecine video.
– Applies motion adaptive de-interlacing to all video that is not telecine.
– Switches dynamically between the two modes as the content changes.
– Available for NTSC video only.
 Bob1
– Drops the redundant fields and reassembles the video in a 24 fps progressive format.
– Applies inverse telecine de-interlacing to all telecine video.
– Performs no de-interlacing of video that is not telecine.
–Available for NTSC video only.
 Advanced
– Is an algorithm for de-interlacing pure video (non-telecine) content.
– Applies motion adaptive interlacing to all video. It detects which portions of the image
are still and which portions are in motion then applies different processing to each
scenario.
ViewCast
Niagara 4100 User Guide
Figure 83. De-Interlace settings
Note: Telecine and inverse telecine only apply to NTSC video. They are not used for PAL and
SECAM video. The system disables Bob0 and Bob1 choices when you select either PAL or
SECAM as the video standard.
9.
Click Submit.
Table 1. MPEG encoder and container descriptions
MPEG4 – MP4
MPEG-4 Part 2 is for situations where low bit rate and low resolution are
mandated by other conditions of the applications, such as network
bandwidth or device size. Examples of video applications for MPEG-4 are
cell phones, some low-end video conferencing systems, and surveillance
systems. MPEG-4 is important for legacy handheld devices that do not
support H.264.
H264 – MP4
H.264, MPEG-4 Part 10, or AVC (Advanced Video Coding) was designed for
high data compression while maintaining better quality than its
predecessor, H.263. It also addresses a broad range of applications from
low bit rate to high bit rate and from low resolution such as cell phones to
high resolution such as broadcast.
Niagara SCX’s H.264 is Baseline Profile.
The Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) defined 3GP as a multimedia container
format for use on 3G mobile phones. It stores video streams such as MPEG-4 or H.264 and
audio streams such as AAC.
This format has two defined standards:
 3GPP for GSM-based mobile phones
 3GPP2 for CDMA-based mobile phones
This setting creates an H.263 stream stored in a 3GPP container.
H264 – 3GP
This setting creates an H.264 stream stored in a 3GP container.
H264 – 3G2
This setting creates an H.264 stream stored in a 3G2 container.
MPEG4 – 3GP
This setting creates an MPEG-4 stream stored in a 3GP container.
MPEG4 – 3G2
This setting creates an MPEG-4 stream stored in a 3G2 container.
H263 – 3GP
This setting creates an H.263 stream stored in a 3GP container.
H263 – 3G2
This setting creates an H.263 stream stored in a 3G2 container.
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Advanced Operations
Table 2. Valid output container selections for video encoder types
Container
MP4
3GP
3G2
70
H.263 Video
N/A


MPEG-4 Video



H.264 Video



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Niagara 4100 User Guide
Audio tab
Figure 84. Audio tab
To configure audio settings:
1.
In the Source field, select an audio source from the drop-down list.
The audio source is multiple inputs denoted by the following incrementing decimal values:
 Disabled
 AES Input 1 (Osprey-700 HD 1)
 AES Input 2 (Osprey-700 HD 1)
 Bal Input 1 (Osprey-700 HD 1)
 Digital Audio (S/PDIF (High Def
 SDI Input 1 (Osprey-700 HD 1)
 SDI Input 2 (Osprey-700 HD 1)
 SDI Input 3 (Osprey-700 HD 1)
 SDI Input 4 (Osprey-700 HD 1)
 Unbal Input 1 (Osprey-700 HD 1)
IMPORTANT! The audio input must match the connectors on the back of the Niagara 4100
and your audio source.
2.
Click the Audio Format from the drop-down list.
3.
Click the Audio Type from the drop-down list:


Main – The same as Low Complexity, but adds backward prediction.
Low Complexity – The simplest and most widely used AAC audio format type.
Note: Depending on the player on which the resulting stream will be rendered, either choice
will use a specific set of tools to encode the audio stream. Make your choice based on the
requirement of the playback software or device. The most widely supported format is the
Low Complexity profile.
4.
ViewCast
The default Audio Encoder is AAC (Advanced Audio Coding) a standardized, lossy
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Advanced Operations
compression and encoding scheme for digital audio. AAC achieves better audio quality than
MP3. AAC and MP3 are MPEG standards.
72
5.
Click the Bitrate from the drop-down menu.
6.
Drag the slider to adjust the Volume.
7.
(Optional) Click the Mute Audio checkbox to disable audio.
8.
Click Submit.
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Niagara 4100 User Guide
Output tab
Figure 85. Output tab
To configure output settings:
1.
Click the Enable Streaming checkbox to stream your audiovisual content via RTSP.
2.
Set the appropriate streaming properties.
Note: The default settings will enable multicast streaming. If you do not want this, change the
IP address for Group to the IP address of the server to which you want to stream from the
encoder.
3.
In the SDP File field, enter a name and a destination path for the resulting SDP file created
when you start the stream. If you are streaming to Helix, a QuickTime, or a Darwin server,
refer to its respective documentation or online message boards for setup details specific for
the individual streaming server.
Note: You can stream point-to-point by selecting a share destination directory for the saved
SDP file. Remember to disable multicasting by entering in the IP address of the PC to
which you want to stream.
For example, if you want another PC to view the stream, save the SDP file to a share
folder on the local drive. The other PC can open the SDP file and the stream can be played
in a QuickTime or other MPEG-4 compatible streaming player. Since MPEG-4 encoding
can be CPU intensive, it is not recommended that you view the stream on the Niagara
encoder. Doing so may overtax the host CPU, which will cause video quality degradation
and encode session failure.
4.
5.
6.
ViewCast
Enable Save to File to save the encoded content to a file. Each time you start this encoder, the
system overwrites the previous file.
Enable Create unique file to create a file that the system does not overwrite.
Accept the default location that displays in the File Name field or choose your own location
for the file. To choose your own personal location select the link (horizontal ellipses or … ) to
the right of the File Name field and display the options (Figure 86).
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Advanced Operations
Note: By default, the system sets this folder to D:\AVFiles\ with a default file name of
capture.xxx. See Exporting captured video files for instructions on saving video files to a
USB device.
Figure 86. Select a folder
WARNING! ViewCast strongly recommends you do not alter the default directory setting
unless you fully understand the risk of saving your files to a directory not located on drive
D. If you save your files to another drive on the Niagara 4100, the system could delete the
files when you use the Restore to Niagara 4100 Factory Defaults feature.
Only drive D on the Niagara 4100 has available storage to save your files. Check drive
properties for available free space to determine your storage capacity.
Use drives C, E, and F strictly for Niagara 4100 operational programs. Any modifications
to these drives can permanently damage your system and void your warranty.
A better practice would be to use a streaming server to save a file or to save it to a remote
drive. If you inadvertantly fill all available space, you risk losing your stream during a
streaming event.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
74
Select the Container Type.
Click the Enable Injection checkbox to inject an SDP file onto your server.
Set the appropriate setting for the server.
Enter the username and password.
Enter the Server SDP File Name.
Enter the Server Port Number.
Click Submit.
ViewCast
Niagara 4100 User Guide
H.264 Presets tab
Figure 87. H.264 Settings Tab
To configure H.264 settings:
1.
Click Edit next to the setting you want to modify.
IMPORTANT! These advanced settings affect the way the encoder performs and if set
incorrectly may lead to abnormal encoder operations. Refer to the H.264 Advanced
Settings section in Appendix B for suggested values for the type of video you are streaming.
2.
Change the Value.
3.
Click Update.
4.
Click the Restore Defaults link at the bottom of the window to return the settings to the
defaults.
Note: The database has seven custom presets. Clicking Restore Defaults for one profile will
change all profiles back to the default settings.
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Advanced Operations
Editing a Windows Media encoder
When you create a new encoder, the Encoder Properties window appears. The Encoder Properties
windows for editing a new encoder or an existing encoder are identical. You must configure the video
and audio settings for each encoder type.
Use the Video, Audio, Output, and DRM tabs to edit the settings. If you plan to change the Windows
Media capture profile, use the Output tab first. Changes on the Output tab can adjust other settings
automatically. Configure the video and audio settings then the streaming properties. The streaming
properties and advanced streaming settings are different for each type of encoder.
From the Windows Media Encoder Properties window (Figure 88), you can set the encoder to start
streaming automatically by enabling Auto Start. You can also start this encoder from this window by
clicking the Start Windows Media Encoder link at the top right corner of the window.
Click Encoders  All Encoders from the home page. Then select the Edit link next to the Windows Media
encoder whose properties you wish to modify. The system displays the Encoder Properties window for
the selected encoder.
IMPORTANT! If you make any changes to the Encoder Properties window, you must click Submit.
Otherwise, all your changes will be lost.
Figure 88. Windows Media encoder properties
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Video tab
Figure 89. Video tab
To configure video settings:
1.
In the Source field, select Disabled or Osprey-700 HD Video Device 1.
Note: Because the Niagara 4100 is a single-channel encoder, you can only connect and stream
one audio and video source at any given time. However, you can encode the same audio and
video at multiple data rates and multiple formats to provide the best user experience for
different viewing audiences.
2.
In the Input field, the video input is SerialDigital.
3.
The Proportions field setting is Standard (square pixels for a VGA monitor).
4.
In the Size field, select the pixel size of the encoded video. The standard sizes include:
 HD 1280x720
 CIF for video scaled from full-size to ¼ size
 QCIF for video scaled from full-size to ¼ of CIF size
 Custom
Customization is useful when you are capturing video to be played on a mobile video-device
that requires a non-standard size for compatibility.
When you click Custom, two additional fields appear so you can enter the exact size you want
the resulting video to be (Figure 90).
Figure 90. Custom fields
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Advanced Operations
5.
Drag the sliders to adjust the Gamma, Brightness, Contrast, Hue, and Saturation (Figure 91).
Figure 91. Video filter settings
Note: Click Restore to the right of each filter to return the setting to the default.
6.
Click the De-Interlace settings you want to apply (Figure 92). Options include:
 None
– Performs no de-interlacing of any kind.
 Bob0
– Applies inverse telecine de-interlacing to all telecine video.
– Applies motion adaptive de-interlacing to all video that is not telecine.
– Switches dynamically between the two modes as the content changes.
– Available for NTSC video only.
 Bob1
– Drops the redundant fields and reassembles the video in a 24 fps progressive format.
– Applies inverse telecine de-interlacing to all telecine video.
– Performs no de-interlacing of video that is not telecine.
–Available for NTSC video only.
 Advanced
– Is an algorithm for de-interlacing pure video (non-telecine) content.
– Applies motion adaptive interlacing to all video. It detects which portions of the image
are still and which portions are in motion then applies different processing to each
scenario.
Figure 92. De-Interlace Settings
Note: Telecine and inverse telecine only apply to NTSC video. They are not used for PAL and
SECAM video. The system disables Bob0 and Bob1 choices when you select either PAL or
SECAM as the video standard.
7.
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Click Submit.
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Audio tab
Figure 93. Audio tab
To configure audio settings:
1.
In the Source field, select an audio source from the drop-down list:
 Disabled
 AES Input 1 (Osprey-700 HD 1)
 AES Input 2 (Osprey-700 HD 1)
 Bal Input 1 (Osprey-700 HD 1)
 Digital Audio (S/PDIF (High De
 SDI Input 1 (Osprey-700 HD 1)
 SDI Input 2 (Osprey-700 HD 1)
 SDI Input 3 (Osprey-700 HD 1)
 SDI Input 4 (Osprey-700 HD 1)
 Unbal Input 1 (Osprey-700 HD 1)
IMPORTANT! The audio input must match the connectors on the back of the Niagara 4100 and
your audio source.
2.
Drag the slider to adjust the Volume.
3.
(Optional) Click the Mute Audio checkbox to disable audio.
4.
Click Submit.
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Advanced Operations
Output tab
Windows Media is both a storage format and a streaming format. In addition to the ability to output to a
file, the Windows Media encoder can stream to a Windows Media Server. The settings for Windows
Media encoder include the ability to set parameters for connecting and streaming to the server (Figure
94).
Some Windows Media Capture Profiles have pre-defined video resolutions and input selections. When
you select a Windows Media Capture Profile, verify your current video and audio settings have not been
modified. If they have been modified, simply change these settings back to their previous settings and
click Submit.
When streaming audio and video, there are two methods of delivery:


Pull – Niagara 4100 begins to generate broadcast packets as soon as you start the encoding.
However, it does not deliver the broadcast stream until Windows Media Server requests the
stream. This method does not provide a secure connection to the server and should only be used if
the encoder and server reside within the same network firewall.
Push – Niagara 4100 maintains a secure connection to Windows Media Server. This connection
allows Niagara 4100 to pass a user name and password to authenticate access to the server.
To enable clients to pull the stream from Niagara 4100, set up a session and begin broadcasting directly
from Niagara 4100. Clients (Windows Media servers or players) can connect to the stream at any time
by using the following URL format:


http://IP_address:port (for Internet connections)
http://encoding_computer_name:port (for LAN connections)
By default, Niagara 4100 supports up to 50 direct connections during a broadcast.
Note: The greater the number of direct connections to Niagara 4100, the more system resources is
required. ViewCast does not recommend directly connecting players to Niagara 4100. Streaming
servers should connect to Niagara 4100 and, in turn, players should connect to the servers.
Figure 94. Output tab
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To configure output settings:
1.
Click on a Windows Media Capture Profile.
2.
Click the Enable Pull checkbox.
3.
Enter a port number that the server will use to pull the stream from Niagara 4100.
4.
Click the Enable Push checkbox.
IMPORTANT! Be sure to enter a port number not already assigned to another encoder. If two
encoders attempt to use the same port number, one or both encoders will fail to start.
5.
Enter a port number that the server will use to push the stream from Niagara 4100.
6.
Enter the Server name or IP address.
7.
Enter the Publishing Point.
8.
Enter the User Name.
9.
Enter the Password.
10. Click the Enable Scripting checkbox to embed closed captions.
Note: If closed captions is enabled through the Osprey 700e HD driver, you cannot enable
scripting.
11. You can:
 Click the Save to File checkbox to save the encoded content to a file. Each time you start
this encoder, the system overwrites the previous file.
 Click Index the file to drag the slider to any point in your video capture.
 Click Create unique file to create a file that the system does not overwrite.
12. Accept the default location that displays in the File Name field or choose your own location for
the file. To choose your own personal location select the link (horizontal ellipses or … ) to the
right of the File Name field and display the options (Figure 95).
Note: By default, the system sets this folder to D:\AVFiles\ with a default file name of
capture.xxx. See Exporting captured video files for instructions on saving video files to a
USB device.
Figure 95. Select a folder
WARNING! ViewCast strongly recommends you do not alter the default directory setting unless
you fully understand the risk of saving your files to a directory not located on drive D. If
you save your files to another drive on the Niagara 4100, the system could delete the files
when you use the Restore to Niagara 4100 Factory Defaults feature.
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Advanced Operations
Only drive D on the Niagara 4100 has available storage to save your files. Check drive
properties for available free space to determine your storage capacity.
Use drives C, E, and F strictly for Niagara 4100 operational programs. Any modifications
to these drives can permanently damage your system and void your warranty.
A better practice would be to use the streaming server to save a file or to save it to a remote
drive. If you inadvertantly fill all available space, you risk losing your stream during a
streaming event.
13. Click Submit.
Note: If you click to another window before you click Submit, your changes will be lost.
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DRM tab
You can protect your content using a technology called Digital Rights Management (DRM). Niagara SCX
allows you to encrypt your content with DRM technology while you are encoding. You can apply DRM
while encoding to a file and when broadcasting a stream. Users are required to obtain a license to play
to content. This license contains the key to unlock the content and the rights that govern its use (Figure
96).
Refer to Appendix A on how to set up and import a DRM profile.
Figure 96. DRM tab
To configure DRM settings:
1.
Click the Enable DRM checkbox.
2.
Click the DRM Profile you wish to apply from the drop-down list.
Note: When you enable DRM, Niagara SCX automatically changes the Windows Media Capture
Profile setting to a DRM-compatible Windows Media 9 setting. You may need to adjust this
setting after you enable DRM.
3.
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Click Submit.
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Advanced Operations
Viewing encoder groups
Encoder groups represent the cornerstone for streaming on the Niagara 4100. The Niagara 4100 comes
with several default encoders and profiles. You must have at least one group assigned on the Niagara
4100 and one encoder profile assigned to that group. The Preset ABC buttons on the appliance remain
unusable until you have this minimum configuration.
The Encoder Groups window (Figure 97), a subset of Encoders (on the Encoders window), allows you to
view the list of encoder groups available for assignment to the Niagara 4100. Click Encoders  Groups
from the menu bar on the home page.
Figure 97. Encoder Groups window
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
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Indicates the CPU usage.
Allows you to create a new group.
Indicates the total number of groups on the Niagara 4100.
Allows you to edit a group.
Allows you to delete a group.
Displays the name of the group.
Indicates which preset button is assigned to this group.
Indicates the encoders assigned to this group.
Allows you to start this group.
Allows you to stop this group.
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Creating encoder groups
If two encoders try to use the same port number at the same time, an error will occur.
Select the Create New Group link on the Encoder Groups window. The encoder groups fields display
(Figure 98).
Figure 98. Encoder Groups window
To create encoder groups:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Enter the name of the group.
Click on the preset button you want to assign to this encoder group.
Click on the encoders you want to assign to the group.
Click Submit.
Note: It is possible to assign one encoder to two different encoder groups.
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Advanced Operations
Starting an encoder group
To start an encoder group, click the Start link to the right in the Start column of the group you want to
start. The encoder group will start in a few seconds. The system displays any errors on the Starting
window while the group starts.
Note: With each encoder started, more system resources (CPU cycles) are consumed. It is recommended
that the total CPU threshold not exceed an average of 70 %. Refer to the Checking CPU usage
section in Basic Operations.
Stopping an encoder group
To stop an encoder group, click the Stop link to the right in the Stop column of the group you want to
stop. The encoder group will stop in a few seconds. The system displays any errors on the Stopping
window while the group stops.
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Editing encoder groups
Select the Edit link on the Encoder Groups window. The encoder groups field displays (Figure 99).
Figure 99. Encoder Groups Window
To edit encoder groups:
1.
2.
3.
4.
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Enter the name of the group.
Click on the preset button you want to assign to this encoder group.
Click on the encoders you want to assign to the group.
Click Submit.
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Advanced Operations
Configuring the Preset ABC buttons
The Niagara 4100 streaming media appliance provides one-button streaming via the Preset ABC buttons
located on the front panel of the system. By default, these buttons are not assigned. Use the web
interface to configure or preset each button to a specific group of encoders. (A preset is a quick way to
select and stream a group of encoder profiles.) Before you can configure the Preset ABC buttons, you
need to configure groups. The controls to configure these buttons are on the Encoder Preset A, Encoder
Preset B, and Encoder Preset C windows. Each window shows a graphic representation of the front
panel of the Niagara 4100.
An Edit Encoder link appears next to the View All Encoders link at the bottom of the window if an
encoder is assigned to this button.
To begin configuring the Preset ABC buttons, on the home page click Encoders  Preset A. The Encoder
Preset A window appears.
Figure 100. Encoder Preset A window
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To assign Preset A button:
1.
2.
Click the drop-down list in the Select a Group field. A complete list of all groups available on
the Niagara 4100 appears.
Select a group.
3.
Click Submit.
The Encoder Preset A window updates with the encoder information (Figure 101).
Figure 101. Select Encoder
Note: The A button in the graphic is highlighted to show an encoder is assigned to this button.
4.
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Repeat steps one through three to set an encoder for the B and C buttons.
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Advanced Operations
Using Preset ABC buttons to start an encoder
group
Use the Preset ABC buttons on the front panel to start the assigned encoder group.
To use preset buttons to start encoding:
1.
Press the A, B, or C button on the front panel.
2.
Press Stream to start encoding. The indicator light next to the preset button displays to
indicate a positive video stream and the audio meters display to indicate positive audio
tracking.
WARNING! Limitations exist for the number of streams you can encode simultaneously. If
you attempt to encode more streams than the Niagara 4100 can process
simultaneously, the streams drop frames and the video stutters. This results in a poor
viewer experience. If you fail to reduce the number of sessions to reduce CPU load,
unexpected system behavior could occur.
3.
If you press a Preset button and no encoder groups are assigned to this button, the no
encoders screen appears (Figure 102).
Figure 102. No encoders screen
Press Enter. The assign an encoder screen appears (Figure 103).
Figure 103. Assign an encoders screen
Note: You must define encoder groups before you can assign them to a Preset button.
4.
Use the Up and Down arrows to select Yes.
5.
Press Enter. The select group screen appears (Figure 104).
Figure 104. Select group screen
6.
Press Enter. A screen with the list of available groups appears (Figure 105).
Figure 105. Group screen
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7.
Use the Up and Down arrows to select the appropriate group.
8.
Press Enter. A confirmation screen appears (Figure 106).
Figure 106. Confirmation screen
9.
Press Enter. A group is now assigned to the Preset button.
Viewing all encoders
After assigning encoders to the A, B, and C buttons, the system updates the Preset column on the
Encoder Groups window to reflect these changes. To view these changes, select the View All Encoders
link at the bottom of the Encoder Groups window (Figure 107).
Figure 107. View All Encoders
Editing preset encoders
After assigning encoders to the A, B, and C buttons, you can access the Encoder Properties window by
clicking on the View All Encoders link at the bottom of the Preset window (Figure 108).
Figure 108. Editing Preset Encoders
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Advanced Operations
Configuring machine properties
The Niagara 4100 Machine Properties window (Figure 109) provides details on software versions,
network name, serial number, and hard drive configurations. Click Configuration  Surf Properties from
the menu bar on the home page.
Figure 109. Machine Properties window
Most of the data on this window provides information only and users cannot alter it. However, you can
modify two fields:


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Computer Name
Admin password
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Changing the computer name
The Computer Name field contains the current network name for the Niagara 4100. This name is the
same name you typed into the web browser to access the Niagara SCX web interface.
To change computer name:
1.
Click the Edit link next to the Computer Name field (Figure 110).
Figure 110. Computer Name field
2.
3.
The screen refreshes and the Computer Name field becomes an editable text field. Type
in a new name for the Niagara 4100.
Click Submit at the bottom of the page. The page refreshes, and the system prompts you
to reboot the Niagara 4100. Your changes do not take effect until the system restarts
(Figure 111).
Figure 111. Reboot message
4.
Click the Click to Reboot Now link to restart the system and apply the Computer Name
change.
Note: The restart process takes several minutes to complete.
When the Niagara 4100 restarts, use the new system name in the IE browser URL to
return to the Login window.
If you close your web browser and later want to log into the web interface, you must
use the new computer name you created or the IP address of the appliance to access
the Niagara 4100.
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Advanced Operations
Changing the login password from the factory default
The Niagara 4100 Properties section has two fields: User Name and Serial Number. Only the User Name
field can be changed, which changes the User Password from the factory default (Figure 112).
Figure 112. Properties section
To change login password
1.
Click the admin link in the User Name field.
Note: The system displays a new window (Figure 113) that allows you to change your login
password for the web interface.
Figure 113. Password Change window
Note: You cannot change the User Name for the web interface from this window.
2.
3.
Type your current password in the Password field. Continue by typing your desired new
password in both the New Password and Confirm New Password fields. The web interface
password is case sensitive.
Click the Change Password button. The system displays a confirmation page. You must log
back into the web interface with your password.
Restoring the login password to the factory default
If you forget or lose your password, you can restore the default password by running the Restore SURF
Factory Defaults option. For more information, see Restore Niagara 4100 Factory Defaults in the System
Configuration section later in this chapter.
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Configuring Alerts
Click Configuration  Alerts from the menu bar on the home page. The Alerts Window (Figure 114)
allows you to configure alerts for different situations that may occur during streaming or other
operations.
Figure 114. Alerts window
A
Click the Email address link to configure email settings on the System
Configuration Settings window.
B
Click the Edit link next to the alert you want to change settings on.
C
Click the Send Email checkbox to send an email to multiple recipients should an
alarm occur.
Note: You can optionally send an email alert to specific email address in the event
of an application alarm. You must specify the email address where you want
an alert sent, along with your email server user name, password, and server
name. For more information about configuring the Niagara 4100 to send
email alerts, see the System Configuration section.
D
Click the Light Alarm checkbox. The alarm light on the front panel of the Niagara
4100 will automatically light when an alarm condition exists.
E
Displays the type of alert.
F
Provides a description of the type of alert.
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Advanced Operations
Configuring network properties
The Network Properties window (Figure 115) provides detailed information on the current network
settings for the Niagara 4100 Network Cards. Click Configuration  Network Properties from the menu
bar on the home page.
Figure 115. Network Properties window
Configuring network cards
The Niagara 4100 has two 1 Gbit network connections available on the Network Properties window,
Network Card(s) field). Select the card you wish to view from the drop-down menu in the Network
Card(s) field (Figure 116) to view the current properties for each card.
Figure 116. Network Card options
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Configuring the IP address
Depending on your system configuration, you may need to configure the IP Address (Figure 117).
Figure 117. IP Address
To configure IP address:
1.
Click the Use the following IP information checkbox.
2.
Enter the appropriate information in the IP Address, Subnet Mask, Default Gateway,
Preferred DNS Server and Alternate DNS Server fields.
Click Submit.
3.
Configuring advanced network settings
Advanced network settings provide the Niagara 4100 network name, MAC Address, and server IP
address settings (Figure 118).
Figure 118. Advanced Settings
The Niagara 4100 network name (HS10440005) is a link. If you click this link, the system transfers you to
the Machine Properties window. From this window, you can change the name of the Niagara 4100.
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Advanced Operations
The Active Network Link field uses one of two icons to indicate whether the network interface card
selected has a network connected.
The system detects the network link.
The system does not detect the network link.
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System configuration settings
The System Configuration Settings window (Figure 119) allows you to modify your Niagara 4100 default
system settings. You can configure email settings to enable Niagara 4100 to send an email to predefined
email addresses any time the Niagara 4100 appliance encounters an alert condition. You can also
customize the information the Niagara 4100 displays on its front panel when the system is in idle mode.
This window also allows you to restore your Niagara 4100 to its original factory disk image and return all
the system settings to their original states. Using the Factory Restore option removes all custom
settings. It takes approximately 15 to 40 minutes to complete.
Click Configuration  System Configuration from the menu bar on the home page.
Figure 119. System Configuration Settings window
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Advanced Operations
Setting current system configuration
You can set the current time, date, and the video standard for all encoders (Figure 120).
Figure 120. Current System Configuration
To set current system configuration:
100
1.
Click the Hour in the drop-down list.
2.
Click the Minutes in the drop-down list.
3.
Click AM or PM in the drop-down list.
4.
Click the Change Date link. A calendar appears.
5.
Click the date on the calendar.
6.
The Osprey 700 automatically defines the Video Standard.
7.
Click Submit.
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Configuring email/SMTP settings
Figure 121. Email/SMTP Settings fields
To configure email settings:
2.
Enter the email address you want the system to send the email. Separate multiple email
addresses with a comma.
Enter a valid originating email address.
3.
Enter a subject line for your email alert.
1.
To configure SMTP (mail) settings:
1.
Enter the SMTP user name for server access.
Note: If you are unfamiliar with setting up an SMTP email account for sending email,
contact your network administrator for assistance.
2.
Enter the password if required.
Note: For security purposes, the password for your account does not display once the
system enters it into the Niagara 4100 settings. Although this field appears blank after
you click Submit, the system retains the password information.
If you change any information in this dialog box, you need to re-enter your SMTP
password before clicking Submit. Not doing so overwrites the previously entered
password with a blank entry.
3.
Enter the name of the SMTP server.
4.
Click the Save and Send Test Email to test your settings. The resulting window reports the
email as successful or it sends information that a send failure occurred.
Click Submit.
5.
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Advanced Operations
Configuring idle screen information
You can modify the information displayed in the Niagara 4100 LCD display on the touch panel. The
information you select cycles through the LCD display screen and alternates between status and
encoder information (Figure 122).
Figure 122. Idle Screen Information
To configure idle screen information:
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1.
Click the checkboxes next to the information you wish the screen to display.
2.
The default text for Line 1 is System is Ready. Enter the message you wish to appear.
3.
Enter the text you want to appear in Lines 2, 3, and 4.
4.
Click Submit.
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Configuring default directory setting
The Niagara 4100 stores AV files when you select the Save to File option in the Output tab of the
encoder profile in the Default AV Folder field (Figure 123). Refer to the Save to File option under the
Flash Encoder Properties sections for information on setting an encoder profile to create an AV file.
Note: ViewCast strongly recommends you do not alter the default directory setting unless you understand
the risk of saving your files to a directory not located on drive D. If you save your files to another
drive on the Niagara 4100, the system could delete the files when you use the Restore to Niagara
4100 Factory Defaults feature.
Only drive D on the Niagara 4100 has available storage to save your files. Check the drive properties
for available free space to determine your storage capacity.
Use drives C, E, and F strictly for the Niagara 4100 operational programs. Any modifications to
these drives can permanently damage your system and void your warranty.
Figure 123. Default AV Folder field
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Advanced Operations
Setting CPU thresholds
You may set the CPU Threshold field (Figure 124) to accommodate optimal encoding capabilities. You
also may set the time between repetitive intervals for checking the CPU threshold.
Figure 124. Encoder Startup Settings
Note: ViewCast recommends a CPU threshold setting of 70 % or lower.
Restoring Niagara 4100 factory defaults
The Restore Niagara 4100 Factory defaults link allows you to restore drive C to its original
factory system defaults. This action removes all data (including stored files) on the primary
drive and reinstalls the original factory image.
Note: Select this option only if you wish to return your system to its factory defaults. Selecting this option
erases all data currently stored on drive C and stops all currently running programs. Remove any
USB memory device before performing a Factory Restore.
This operation takes approximately 15 to 45 minutes to complete. Do not power off or interrupt
the system restore once it starts. All services automatically restart when the system restore
completes. You may then use the Niagara 4100 web interface tool to reset the time, date, and
video format.
Click the Restore Niagara 4100 Factory defaults link on the Configuration  System
Configuration Settings window to start the process. The resulting window (Figure 125) allows
you to return to the home page, thereby cancelling this action, or continue with the restore
action.
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Figure 125. Restore Factory Defaults window
The window provides you details regarding the process you are about to execute and allows you the
opportunity to once again cancel the process by clicking Back to Home Page.
Note: Restore to Factory Defaults rebuilds the Niagara 4100 primary disk drive C with the original
system image. You lose all custom settings and any files saved to drive C. You cannot reverse this
process. However, you can manually re-enter your custom settings once the Niagara 4100 restore
process completes.
Use the default directory, D:\AV Files\, for saving your audio and video files. The system only reimages drive C when you use the Restore Factory Defaults option. It preserves all files and folders on
drive D. Always use the default directory – drive D – for storage of personal files to ensure the system
does not remove your personal files.
IMPORTANT! Remember that the system deletes all previously stored encoder profiles and groups when
you restore it to its factory defaults unless the checkbox to save profiles is checked.
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Advanced Operations
Viewing the activity log
The Activity Log records the encoder Start and Stop events (Figure 126). The system updates the log for
every event including the date and time. To view the activity log, on the home page click Status  View
Activity Log.
Figure 126. Activity Log window
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
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Select the types of activity you wish to view. Options include:
 Show All
 General
 Errors
 Warnings
Click this link to clear all logged activities.
Indicates the number of records for the selected view type.
Click the icon for a print view of the activity log. When the print friendly view
appears, click File  Print to print a hard copy or save a soft copy of the Activity
Log.
Displays the system date and time stamps for each event.
Indicates the type of activity.
Displays a description of the activity.
Click to view multiple pages of activity log.
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Viewing alerts
Click Status  View Alerts from the home page. The Alerts Window (Figure 127) updates with every
alert event on the Niagara 4100. The alerts include any specific alert events for the encoder.
Figure 127. Alerts window
A
B
C
D
Click this icon to clear all alerts.
Indicates the number of alerts.
Displays the date and time the alert occurred.
Displays the description for the alert.
The Alarm Indicator Light on the front panel of the Niagara 4100 turns red when an alert occurs. Press
the “i” button to view the alert (see Niagara 4100 front panel diagram).
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Advanced Operations
Connecting an external storage device
The Niagara 4100 provides two USB ports, one on the front panel and one on the rear panel. You can
connect almost any standard USB memory device to one or both of these ports. This allows you to
export any AV files you created on the local storage drive of the Niagara 4100. The encoder defaults to
set the local storage drive D when you use the Save to File setting with the Niagara 4100 web interface.
When you insert a USB memory device in one of the USB ports on the Niagara 4100, the Niagara 4100
automatically detects the removable storage device, and assigns a drive letter to the device. Use
standard Windows methods to transfer AV files from drive D to the attached USB device.
Using the Niagara SCX web interface
You may wish to perform even more advanced setup and operations. To do so, you may choose to
access the Niagara SCX web interface. You may access the Niagara SCX web interface through a remote
desktop connection or by connecting a monitor, keyboard, and mouse to the Niagara 4100. Use the
Niagara SCX User Guide for specific information on how to use the Niagara SCX and the Niagara SCX
Explorer software.
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Appendix A: DRM for Windows Media
You can protect your content using a technology called Digital Rights Management (DRM). Niagara SCX
allows you to encrypt your content with DRM technology while you are encoding. You can apply DRM
while encoding to a file and when broadcasting a stream. Users will be required to obtain a license to
play the content. This license contains the key to unlock the content and the rights that govern its use.
Note: Licenses are issued by a third-party license provider, so you must set up an account with a thirdparty license provider to protect your content.
Niagara SCX automatically detects any available DRM profiles imported on the encoding system. If no
DRM profiles are installed, the DRM functions in Niagara SCX are disabled. To enable the DRM function
in Niagara SCX, you must do the following:



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Set up an account with a third-party license provider and create a DRM profile.
Import the DRM profile using the Windows Media Encoder application included with Niagara
streaming appliances or available as a free download from Microsoft Corporation
(http://www.microsoft.com ).
Restart the unit on which Niagara SCX is installed, allowing the software to auto-detect and enable
its DRM functions.
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Appendix A: DRM for Windows Media
Importing a DRM profile
If you have not already done so, set up an account with a licensed provider and create a DRM profile.
Once you create the DRM profile, you must use Windows Media Encoder to import the profile on the
encoding system.
Windows Media Encoder is included in Niagara streaming media appliances that have Niagara SCX
version 5.0 or later installed. To access the desktop of the Niagara 4100, attach a keyboard, a mouse,
and a monitor to the system. If the system is installed in a location that does not provide physical access,
you can use Windows Remote Desktop Connection to access the desktop.
IMPORTANT! When connecting to a Niagara 4100 using a remote desktop connection, it is extremely
important you set the Local Resources to Leave at remote computer before connecting to the system.
To open a remote desktop connection:
1. Open the Remote Desktop Connection (Figure 128).
Figure 128. Remote Desktop Connection
2. Click Options. The setting tabs display.
3. Click the Local Resources tab.
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4. Under Remote computer sound, click Leave at remote computer option from the dropdown list (Figure 129).
Figure 129. Local Resources tab
5. Click the General tab (Figure 130).
Figure 130. General tab
6. In the User Name field, type niagara.
7. In the Password field, type password to connect the Niagara 4100 using remote desktop.
WARNING! When exiting from Remote Desktop Connection, do not log off. Instead,
exit/close the session from the Niagara 4100. This step allows its internal programs to
continue running.
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Appendix A: DRM for Windows Media
8. Copy the DRM profiles to a protected location on the encoding system to ensure they are
not accidentally removed or erased (Figure 131).
Note: ViewCast recommends you create a new directory on drive D on the Niagara 4100 and
use this directory to store your DRM profiles.
Figure 131. DRM Profiles
9. Start the Windows Media Encoder application on Niagara 4100 (Figure 132).
Figure 132. Starting Windows Media Encoder
10. When the New Session Wizard displays, click Cancel (Figure 133).
Figure 133. New Session Wizard
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11. Click Properties under the top menu bar (Figure 134).
Figure 134. Properties tab
12. Click the Security tab.
13. Click Import and browse to the location of the DRM profiles on the system’s hard drive.
14. Select the DRM profile you wish to import and click Open (Figure 135).
Figure 135. DRM Profile
15. Repeat this process for each DRM profile you wish to import.
16. Exit from the Windows Media Encoder application when finished.
Note: If the system prompts if you want to save your encoding session, click No option.
17. Disconnect Remote Desktop Connection from Niagara 4100 (Figure 136). Do not log out.
Figure 136. Disconnect Remote Desktop
18. Restart Niagara 4100.
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Appendix B: H.264 Advanced Settings
In general, the default values for the H.264 encoder will meet your streaming requirements. For devices
with restricted bandwidths and under certain conditions such as low bit rates, motion specific, or
constant bit rate applications, you may need to adjust the advanced settings. This section includes
several examples to assist you in the selection of advanced variables. These examples are suggestions
and you should understand and select the appropriate values for your streaming application. See
Settings for the setting variable.
Setting
BFramesBias
BFramesMax
BFramesStrategy
BitRateTolerance
BlurComplexity
ChromaOffset
CodecFlags
CodecFlags2
CoderType
DirectMVPrediction
GOPSize
GOPSizeMin
IFrameQuantFactor
InLoopDeblockingFilterAlpha
InLoopDeblockingFilterBeta
Level
MotionEstimationMethod
MotionEstimationRange
MotionEstimationSubPelQuality
MotionEstimationSubPixelComparison
NoiseReduction
QuantizerMax
QuantizerMaxDiffBetweenFrames
QuantizerMin
QuantizerScaleBlurOverTime
QuantizerScaleCompress
ReferenceFrames
SceneChangeDetectThreshold
TrellisRDQuantization
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Value
0
0
0
1
20
0
4196352
131328
0
1
250
25
0.71
0
0
12
7
16
7
0
0
51
4
10
0.5
0.6
2
45
0
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Appendix B: H.264 Advanced Settings
You can change the default settings according to the type of video you are streaming in constant bit rate
(CBR), mobile, or variable bit rate (VBR):







116
CBR - Newscast
CBR - Sports
CBR - Action
Mobile
VBR – Newscast
VBR – Sports
VBR - Action
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CBR – Newscast
Newscast type content has low motion and some scene changes.
Setting
BFramesBias
BFramesMax
BFramesStrategy
BitRateTolerance
BlurComplexity
ChromaOffset
CodecFlags
CodecFlags2
CoderType
DirectMVPrediction
GOPSize
GOPSizeMin
IFrameQuantFactor
InLoopDeblockingFilterAlpha
InLoopDeblockingFilterBeta
Level
MotionEstimationMethod
MotionEstimationRange
MotionEstimationSubPelQuality
NoiseReduction
QuantizerMax
QuantizerMaxDiffBetweenFrames
QuantizerMin
QuantizerScaleBlueOverTime
QuantizerScaleCompress
ReferenceFrames
SceneChangeDetectThreshold
TrellisRDQuantization
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Value
0
0
0
1
20
0
41496352
131328
0
1
300
30
0.71
0
0
12
7
8
7
0
51
16
12
0.5
0.3
6
45
0
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Appendix B: H.264 Advanced Settings
CBR – Sports
A sports event sequence is a typical representation of a sports game.
Setting
BFramesBias
BFramesMax
BFramesStrategy
BitRateTolerance
BlurComplexity
ChromaOffset
CodecFlags
CodecFlags2
CoderType
DirectMVPrediction
GOPSize
GOPSizeMin
InLoopDeblockingFilterAlpha
InLoopDeblockingFilterBeta
Level
MotionEstimationMethod
MotionEstimationRange
MotionEstimationSubPelQuality
MotionEstimationSubPixelComparison
NoiseReduction
QuantizerMax
QuantizerMaxDiffBetweenFrames
QuantizerMin
QuantizerScaleBlurOverTime
QuantizerScaleCompress
ReferenceFrames
SceneChangeDetectThreshold
TrellisRDQuantization
118
Value
0
0
0
1
20
0
4196352
131328
0
1
400
40
1
1
12
7
8
7
0
0
51
16
10
0.5
0.5
6
55
0
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CBR – Action
An action movie sequence has a lot of lasers, explosions, bright lights flickering, dust, and scene
changes.
Setting
BFramesBias
BFramesMax
BFramesStrategy
BitRateTolerance
BlurComplexity
ChromaOffset
CodecFlags
CodecFlags2
CoderType
DirectMVPrediction
GOPSize
GOPSizeMin
IFrameQuantFactor
InLoopDeblockingFilterAlpha
InLoopDeblockingFilterBeta
Level
MotionEstimationMethod
MotionEstimationRange
MotionEstimationSubPelQuality
MotionEstimationSubPixelComparison
NoiseReduction
QuantizerMax
QuantizerMaxDiffBetweenFrames
QuantizerMin
QuantizerScaleBlurOverTime
QuantizerScaleCompress
ReferenceFrames
SceneChangeDetectThreshold
TrellisRDQuantization
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Value
0
0
0
1
20
0
4196352
131328
0
1
350
35
-0.8
2
1
12
7
8
7
0
0
51
8
10
0.5
0.6
6
45
0
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Appendix B: H.264 Advanced Settings
Mobile
Setting
BFramesBias
BFramesMax
BFramesStrategy
BitRateTolerance
BlurComplexity
ChromaOffset
CodecFlags
CodecFlags2
CoderType
DirectMVPrediction
GOPSize
GOPSizeMin
IFrameQuantFactor
InLoopDeblockingFilterAlpha
InLoopDeblockingFilterBeta
Level
MotionEstimationMethod
MotionEstimationRange
MotionEstimationSubPelQuality
MotionEstimationSubPixelComparison
NoiseReduction
QuantizerMax
QuantizerMaxDiffBetweenFrames
QuantizerMin
QuantizerScaleBlurOverTime
QuantizerScaleCompress
ReferenceFrames
SceneChangeDetectThreshold
TrellisRDQuantization
120
Value
0
0
0
1
20
0
4196352
131328
0
1
300
30
-0.71
2
1
11
7
8
7
0
0
51
16
10
0.5
0.3
2
50
0
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VBR – Newscast
Setting
BFramesBias
BFramesMax
BFramesStrategy
BitRateTolerance
BlurComplexity
ChromaOffset
CodecFlags
CodecFlags2
CoderType
ConstantRateFactor
DirectMVPrediction
GOPSize
GOPSizeMin
IFrameQuantFactor
InLoopDeblockingFilterAlpha
InLoopDeblockingFilterBeta
Level
MotionEstimationMethod
MotionEstimationRange
MotionEstimationSubPelQuality
MotionEstimationSubPixelComparison
NoiseReduction
QuantizerMax
QuantizerMaxDiffBetweenFrames
QuantizerMin
QuantizerScaleBlurOverTime
QuantizerScaleCompress
ReferenceFrames
SceneChangeDetectThreshold
TrellisRDQuantization
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Value
0
0
0
1
20
0
4196352
131328
0
22
1
300
25
0.71
-1
-1
12
7
16
8
0
0
51
4
12
0.5
0.6
6
45
0
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Appendix B: H.264 Advanced Settings
VBR – Sports
Setting
BFramesBias
BFramesMax
BFramesStrategy
BitRateTolerance
BlurComplexity
ChromaOffset
CodecFlags
CodecFlags2
CoderType
ConstantRateFactor
DirectMVPrediction
GOPSize
GOPSizeMin
IFrameQuantFactor
InLoopDeblockingFilterAlpha
InLoopDeblockingFilterBeta
Level
MotionEstimationMethod
MotionEstimationRange
MotionEstimationSubPelQuality
MotionEstimationSubPixelComparison
NoiseReduction
QuantizerMax
QuantizerMaxDiffBetweenFrames
QuantizerMin
QuantizerScaleBlurOverTime
QuantizerScaleCompress
ReferenceFrames
SceneChangeDetectThreshold
TrellisRDQuantization
122
Value
0
0
0
1
20
0
4196352
131328
0
22
1
250
25
-0.8
1
1
12
7
16
8
0
0
51
4
10
0.5
0.6
6
65
0
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VBR – Action
Setting
BFramesBias
BFramesMax
BFramesStrategy
BitRateTolerance
BlurComplexity
ChromaOffset
CodecFlags
CodecFlags2
CoderType
ConstantRateFactor
DirectMVPrediction
GOPSize
GOPSizeMin
IFrameQuantFactor
InLoopDeblockingFilterAlpha
InLoopDeblockingFilterBeta
Level
MotionEstimationMethod
MotionEstimationRange
MotionEstimationSubPelQuality
MotionEstimationSubPixelComparison
NoiseReduction
QuantizerMax
QuantizerMaxDiffBetweenFrames
QuantizerMin
QuantizerScaleBlurOverTime
QuantizerScaleCompress
ReferenceFrames
SceneChangeDetectThreshold
TrellisRDQuantization
ViewCast
Value
0
0
0
1
20
0
4196352
131328
0
22
1
300
30
-0.71
1
0
12
7
16
8
0
0
51
4
10
0.5
0.6
4
85
0
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Appendix B: H.264 Advanced Settings
Settings
Setting
BitRateTolerance
DirectMVPrediction
GOPSize
GOPSizeMin
InLoopDeblockingFilterAlpha
InLoopDeblockingFilterBeta
MotionEstimationMethod
124
Explanation
Setting the bit rate tolerance tells the encoder it must hit the
target bit rate almost exactly. However, this value can have an
adverse effect on quality because you are forcing the encoder
to stay at a target bit rate. More heavy frames may not get
enough bits to make the image look better while less heavy
frames get more than they need. As a result, the quality may
vary. If you set the value to 1, the encoder uses 0.01.
The default setting is temporal. Temporal breaks when bpyramid is applied. As a result, it is easy to mix the two
improperly. Spatial is a better default.
This value sets the maximum interval between IDR frames.
Theoretically, higher values improve compression because IDR
frames are the heaviest, but it can also reduce the appearance
of fluctuating quality.
This value sets the minimum length between IDR frames. This
setting limits the minimum length after each IDR frame before
another can be placed.
This value affects the overall amount of deblocking applied to
the picture. Higher values deblock more efficiently, but retain
less detail causing the image to appear softened.
The default value is 0 and should be sufficient to eliminate
most blocking, but it leaves the picture noticeably blurrier. In
general, values should be no lower than -3 and no higher than
3. This value is the most important parameter in determining
the overall sharpness of your encode.
This value determines whether something in a block is a detail
or not when deblocking is applied to it. Lower values apply less
deblocking to more flat blocks with detail present and more
deblocking to blocks without detail. Higher values cause more
deblocking to be applied to less flat blocks with details
present. Raising the value of Beta deblocking is a good way to
get rid of ringing artifacts by applying more aggressive filtering
to blocks that aren’t very flat. Lowering the value of Beta
deblocking is a good way to reduce the amount of DCT blocks
without blurring the entire picture.
This value sets the quality. It determines the motion detection
method (5 is dia, 7 is hex, 8 is umh, 2 is esa, 10 is teas).
Because teas (10) is not really achievable in real time encoding
there is no reason to use it.
dia – (diamond) is the simplest search. It starts at the best
predictor, checks the motion vectors at one pixel upwards,
left, down, and to the right, chooses the best, and repeats the
process until it no longer finds any better motion vectors. This
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Setting
MotionEstimationRange
MotionEstimationSubPelQuality
QuantizerMax
Explanation
setting is the fastest.
hex – (hexagon) is the default setting. It uses a similar strategy
to dia, except it uses a range-2 search of 6 surrounding points.
It is considerably more efficient than dia and hardly any
slower. This setting is a good choice for general use.
umh – (uneven multi-hex) is considerably slower than hex. It
searches a complex multi-hexagon pattern to avoid missing
harder-to-find motion vectors. umh is about 40 % slower than
hex.
esa – (exhaustive) is a highly optimized intelligent search of
the entire motion search space within range of the best
predictor. It is the mathematically equivalent to the brute
force method of searching every single motion vector in that
area, though faster. It is still considerably slower than umh.
teas – (transformed exhaustive) attempts to approximate the
effect of running a Hadamard transform comparison at each
motion vector. It’s a little bit better than esa but a little bit
slower, too slow for practical use.
This value controls the maximum range of the motion search.
For hex and dia, the encoder only uses between 4 and 16. umh
and esa allow you to increase past 16 to allow a wider range of
motion search, which is useful for high-definition footage and
for high-motion footage. Increasing MotionEstimationRange
significantly slows down encoding.
This value controls the subpixel motion estimation quality.
Higher numbers are better. Levels 1 through 5 simply control
the subpixel refinement strength. Level 6 enables RDO for
mode decision, and level 8 enables RDO for motion vectors
and intra prediction modes. RDO levels are significantly slower
than the previous levels.
0 — fullpel only (not recommended)
1 — QPel SAD 1 iteration
2 — QPel SATD 2 iterations
3 — HPel on MB then QPel
4 — Always QPel
5 — Multi QPel + bime
6 — RD on I/P frames
7 — RD on all frames
8 — RD refinement on I/P frames
9 — RD refinement on all frames
10 — QP-RD (requires trellis=2, aq-mode >0)
The default setting is 31. This value sets the maximum for the
quantizer. 51 is the highest quantizer available for use in the
H.264 specification and is very low quality.
IMPORTANT! For low bit rates you want to keep constant, it is
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Appendix B: H.264 Advanced Settings
Setting
QuantizerMaxDiffBetweenFrames
QuantizerMin
Explanation
recommended that you use the default setting of 51 and not
31.
This value determines the maximum change quantizer
between two frames. The purpose is to reduce the possibility
of any large quality jumps in the output video. It is better to
slow this change over a few frames rather than all at once. 4 is
good, however if you don’t want to see big jumps in bit rates
and don’t mind big jumps in quality, you can increase the
value to 8 or 16.
This value sets the minimum quantizer you will ever use. The
lower the quantizer the closer it is to its input. For most video,
anything below 10 is perceptually lossless. Anything below the
default of 8 is definitely lossless.
IMPORTANT! Raising gpmin higher than its default of 16 is
strongly discouraged because this could reduce the quality
of flat background areas of the frame.
QuantizerScaleCompress
ReferenceFrames
SceneChangeDetectThreshold
The default setting is 0.60. Use this value to trade off the
number of bits allocated to “expensive” high-motion versus
“cheap” low-motion frames.
At one extreme, a setting of 0.0 aims for true constant bit
rates. Typically with high-motion scenes, this setting tends to
look bad. If you use low bit rates, however, low motion scenes
appear perfect but use more bits than needed.
The other extreme setting of 1.0 aims to achieve constant
quantization, however this setting throws many bits at highmotion scenes, and a lot less at low-motion scenes which can
cause the bit rate to fluctuate. 0.50 performs well on sports,
0.60 on action content, while 0.30 works well with news
broadcasts. 0.2 works well with drama-type movies, soap
operas, and shows.
This value is the number of previous frames each P-frame can
use as a reference. Recommended value is around 4 to 8. Each
increase has reduced benefit and constant speed loss with
higher CPU usage. However, 16 can be helpful for animated
content, video game capture, CGI, and other similar content.
0 turns off scene change detection. Higher values of scenecut
increase the number of scenecuts detected. A good default is
40.
IMPORTANT! Lowering the default causes less scene
detections so it would use less IDR frames. Those are
expensive heavyweight frames.
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Other settings
Setting
BlurComplexity
BQuantFactor
BQuantOffset
ChromaOffset
ConstantQuantizationRateControl
Level
MaxBFramesBetweenNonBFrames
NoiseReduction
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Explanation
Apply a Gaussian blur with the given radius to the quantizer
curve. This value means the quantizer assigned to each frame
is blurred temporally with its neighbors to limit quantizer
fluctuations.
This value sets the targets average reduction in bit rate for Bframes as compared to P-frames. Higher values increase the
quality of B-frames. This value makes them better references,
which can improve the overall image quality. The problem is
that the extra bits taken by the B-frames are taken from the Pframes, which makes this variable a balancing act.
This value is the quantizer scale offset between I-P-B-frames.
The encoder normally encodes all 3 color planes (luma, U
(chroma), V (chroma) ) at the same quantizer. The system adds
this value to the quantizers for the U and V planes. This value
allows you to bias the encode in favor of brightness (luma) by
setting positive values (chroma fields will have higher
quantizers), or in favor of color (chroma) by setting negative
values (chroma fields will have lower quantizers).
The encoder only encodes the luma and chroma planes at the
quantizer up to quantizer 29. After this, chroma is
progressively quantized by a lower amount than luma until
you end with luma at quantizer 51. This behavior is not
adjustable, as it is required by the H.264 standard.
This value sets the encoder to use Constant Quantization Rate
Control. It keeps the encoding at a constant quantizer and
doesn’t restrict to target a certain bit rate, but rather restricts
to a certain quality no matter what bit rate it needs to use on
each frame to keep quality constant. This value is mostly for
quality encodes, set to -1 to disable this encode mode.
This value sets the level flag in the output bit stream (as
defined by Annex A of the H.264 Standard) permissible levels
include:
1, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2, 2.1, 2.2, 3, 3.1, 3.2, 4, 4.1, 4.2, 5, and 5.1
The encoder does not support level 1b from the specification.
This value sets the maximum number of concurrent B-frames
that can be used. B-frames are similar to P-frames, except they
can use motion prediction from future frames as well. This
value can lead to significantly better efficiency in terms of
compression ratio.
This value performs adaptive pseudo-dead zone noise
reduction, estimates film noise based on the value set and
attempts to remove the noise by dropping small details before
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Appendix B: H.264 Advanced Settings
Setting
TrellisRDQuantization
Explanation
quantization. (100 to 1000 for de-noising)
This value performs Trellis quantization to increase efficiency.
0 = No quantization
1 = Quantization on final macroblock
2 = Always quantize
This value requires CABAC.
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Appendix C: Mapped Network Drive
Setup
Setting up the network drive for the Niagara 4100 to export files, requires setting up two administrator
accounts on a remote PC where the shared folder will be located:


One account for the username N4100
One account for the username SCXUser
The shared folder is created on the remote PC with full access for both Niagara 4100 and SCXUser. On
the Niagara 4100, the mapped network drive is created to reconnect at logon using the SCXUser
username.
To set up user accounts on a remote PC:
1.
Click on Start  Control Panel.
2.
Double-click on Administrative Tools.
3.
Double-click on Computer Management.
4.
Expand Local Users and Groups. Click on Users.
Figure 137. Users
5.
Under Action, select New User.
6.
Enter niagara4100 for the User name.
7.
Full name and Description are optional.
8.
Enter viewcast for the Password.
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Appendix C: Mapped Network Drive Setup
9.
Enter viewcast for the Confirm password.
10. Disable User must change password at next logon.
11. Enable User cannot change password.
12. Enable Password never expires.
Figure 138. New User window
13. Click Create.
14. Repeat steps 5 through 13 to create the user SCXUser using the password viewcast.
15. Click Close.
16. The two new users appear in the users list.
Figure 139. Added Users
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17. In Computer Management, click Groups.
Figure 140. Groups
18. Double-click on Administrators.
19. Click Add.
Figure 141. Administrators Properties window
20. Click Add. The Select Users window displays.
21. Click Locations.
22. Select the PC, then click OK.
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Appendix C: Mapped Network Drive Setup
Figure 142. Locations window
23. Enter niagara4100 for the object name, then click OK.
Figure 143. Select Users window
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24. The user niagara4100 appears in the list of Administrators.
Figure 144. Administrator Properties
25. Repeast steps 19 through 22 to add SCXUser as an administrator.
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Appendix C: Mapped Network Drive Setup
To create the shared folder:
Note: The shared folder(s) must be created on the remote PC.
1.
Open My Computer.
2.
Open the drive where the shared folder will be created.
3.
Right click, select New, then Folder.
Figure 145. Create new folder
4.
Enter a name for the folder (for example, N4Share).
Figure 146. Folder name
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5.
Right click on the folder, then select Properties.
Figure 147. Folder Properties window
6.
Click on the Sharing tab.
7.
Click Share. The File Sharing window displays.
8.
Type a name and then click Add, or click the arrow to select someone from the drop-down
list.
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Appendix C: Mapped Network Drive Setup
9.
Use the drop-down list under permission level for this user and select Read/Write.
Figure 148. Read/Write permissions
10. Click Share.
11. Repeat steps 2 through 9 to add SCXUser to the Share Permissions.
12. Click Done.
Figure 149. File Sharing window
13. Click Close to close the share properties.
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To map the network drive:
Note: Create a mapped network drive to the remote shared folder that will reconnect at logon. Once the
mapped drive is created and the Niagara 4100 is rebooted, the user will be able to export to the
network drive.
1.
On the Niagara 4100, open My Computer.
2.
Under Tools, select Map Network Drive.
3.
Select a drive.
Figure 150. Map Network Drive window
5.
In the text box for folder, enter the network path to the shared folder on the remote PC (for
example, \\DDSP052206\N4Share).
Make sure Reconnect at logon is enabled.
6.
Enable Connect using different credentials.
4.
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Appendix C: Mapped Network Drive Setup
7.
Click Finish.
Figure 151. Map Network Drive window
8.
Enter SCXUser as the User name and viewcast as the Password.
9.
Click OK.
10. Click Finish. After a few moments, the network share will open.
11. Close the window. The mapped drive will now appear inMy Computer under Network
Drives.
12. Reboot the Niagara 4100.
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Appendix D: EASE Menu
This section provides the detail of the LCD menu tree. It is intended to be a complete reference to all
levels and functions accessible using the Niagara 4100 front panel LCD display.
It is designed to be a visual reference of the LCD screen including the front panel button action to move
to the next screen.
Button
Action
Power on
Access Menu/Return to Previous
Enter/Execute Command
Mover Pointer Up/Down
Start Encoder
Stop Encoder
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Appendix D: EASE Menu
Encoder menu
Encoder start
Encoder stop
Encoder status
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Access Health menu
CPU status
Memory available
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Appendix D: EASE Menu
Setup system menu
Network link status
Network MAC address
142
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View network settings
Enable DHCP
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143
Appendix D: EASE Menu
Set static IP addresses
x3
x4
x6
x5
x3
x4
144
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Set gateway address
x2
x5
x5
x2
x5
x5
x2
x5
x5
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Appendix D: EASE Menu
Set date and time
x5
x 15
x2
x 16
x 25
Set video standard
x3
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Factory restore
x3
x4
Note: This process actually takes ~10 minutes, be patient.
x 16
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147
Appendix D: EASE Menu
Export files menu
Export to USB drive
Shutdown Niagara 4100
x4
Or
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Index
Access menu, 33
Connecting to the Internet, 12
Active Network Link field, 98
Conventions For This Guide, 2
Activity Log window, 106
CPU cycles screen, 33
Adaptive Adobe Flash Encoder Properties, 50
CPU Threshold field, 104
Adaptive Encoder Properties, 43
Create New Encoder window, 40
Added Users, 130
Create new folder, 134
Admin Log In window, 37
Current System Configuration, 100
Administrator Properties, 133
Custom fields, 44, 51, 59, 67, 77
Administrators Properties window, 131
Date screen, 24
Adobe Flash Dynamic Streaming Security tab, 57
Default AV Folder field, 103
Advanced Operations, 37
Default Directory Setting, 103
Advanced Settings, 97
DefaultAVFolder field, 103
advanced system settings, 37
De-Interlace settings, 45, 52, 68
Alerts window, 95, 107
De-Interlace Settings, 60, 78
Apple HTTP Live Streaming Security Tab, 49
Digital Rights Management, 109
Assign an encoders screen, 90
Disclaimers, 2
Assigning a static IP address, 25
Disconnect Remote Desktop, 113
audience for publication, 1
Drive Destination screens, 35
Audio tab, 46, 54, 62
DRM, 109
Audio tab, 79
DRM Profile, 113
Audio Tab, 71
DRM Profiles, 112
Booting screen, 25
DRM tab, 83
Changing Computer Name, 93
EASE menu, 16, 30, 35
Computer Name field, 93
Easy first time set up, 23
Configure Advanced Network Settings, 97
easy setup, 21
Configure the Niagara 4100 Connections, 15
Edit Encoder Groups, 85
Confirmation screen, 25, 91
Editing Encoder Groups, 87
Connecting an External Storage Device, 35, 108
Editing Preset Encoders, 91
Connecting to an Electrical Power Source, 23
Email Alert, 95
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Appendix D: EASE Menu
Email/SMTP Settings fields, 101
IP Address, 97
Enable DHCP screen, 26
IP address screen, 26
Encoder Groups window, 85
Local Resources tab, 111
Encoder Groups window, 84
Locations window, 131
Encoder Groups Window, 87
Machine Properties window, 92
Encoder Preset A window, 88
Map Network Drive window, 137, 138
Encoder screen, 31, 34
Media Appliance Functions, 9
Encoder Startup Settings, 104
Menu Bar Commands, 17
Encoder Stopped, 42
MPEG4 Encoder Properties, 66
Encoders window, 39, 41, 42
Network Card options, 96
Encoding screen, 31
Network Card(s), 96
Environmental Notices, 5
Network Card(s) field, 96
Export Files function, 35
Network Cards, 96
Exporting screens, 36
Network Interface Cards, 25
FCC Notice, 4
Network Properties window, 96
File Sharing window, 136
Network settings screen, 26
Filename screen, 36
New Session Wizard, 112
Flash Encoder Properties, 58
New User window, 130
Folder name, 134
Niagara 4100 back panel, 14
Folder Properties window, 135
Niagara 4100 Back Panel, Review of, 14
General tab, 111
Niagara 4100 browser window, 19
Group screen, 90
Niagara 4100 front panel, 13
Groups, 131
Niagara 4100 Front Panel, Review of, 13
H.264 Presets tab, 65
Niagara 4100 home page, 17
H.264 Settings Tab, 75
Niagara 4100 network name, 97
Idle Screen Information, 102
Niagara SCX Remote Management Software, 17
Initializing messages, 29
Niagara SCX User Guide, 108
Initializing messages, 24
No encoders screen, 90
Install Overview, 10
Output tab, 47, 55, 63, 80
Installing additional software, 11
Output Tab, 73
Instructions, Notices, and Warnings, 23
Package Contents, 10
Interface screen, 25
Password Change window, 94
IP address, 37
Performing the Initial Start Up, 24
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Power off screen, 30
Stopped icon, 41
Prerequisites, 10
Stopping screen, 34
product description, 1
Subnet address screen, 26
Properties Section, 94
System Configuration Settings window, 99
Properties tab, 113
System Ready screen, 37
Rack Mount Safety Instructions, 3
System Requirements, 11
Read/Write permissions, 136
System stopping messages, 30
Reboot message, 93
Time screen, 24
Remote Desktop Connection, 110
To assign Preset A button, 89
Restore Factory Defaults window, 105
To change computer name, 93
Restore Niagara 4100 Factory defaults, 104
To change login password, 94
Restore the Login Password to the Factory
Default, 94
To change the network settings, 25
Save to File Location, 64
Save to File setting, 35
Select a folder, 74, 81
Select Encoder, 89
Select Folder screen, 36
Select group screen, 90
Select source screen, 36
Select Users window, 132
serial number, 37
Serial number, 37
Set CPU Thresholds, 104
Settings screen, 26
Setup menu, 25
Setup System Option, 25
Shutdown screen, 30
Shutdown screens, 30
Started icon, 42
Starting Encoder, 41
Starting screen, 31
Starting Windows Media Encoder, 112
To check CPU usage, 33
To configure audio settings, 46, 54, 62, 71, 79
To configure DRM settings, 83
To configure email settings, 101
To configure H.264 settings, 65, 75
To configure idle screen information, 102
To configure IP address, 97
To configure output settings, 47, 55, 63, 73, 81
To configure security settings, 49, 57
To configure SMTP (mail) settings, 101
To configure video input settings, 59
To configure video settings, 44, 51, 67, 77
To connect the Niagara 4100, 15
To connect the power source, 23
To create an encoder, 40
To create encoder groups, 85
To create the shared folder, 134
To edit encoder groups, 87
To export capture video files, 35
To log in, 37
To map the network drive, 137
Appendix D: EASE Menu
To open a remote desktop connection, 110
Users, 129
To perform first start up, 29
Video filter settings, 78
To perform the initial start up, 24
Video Filter Settings, 45, 52, 60, 68
To set current system configuration, 100
Video tab, 44, 51, 59, 67, 77
To set up user accounts on a remote PC, 129
View Alerts, 107
To shut down, 30
View All Encoders, 91
To start an encoder, 31, 41
View the list of encoder groups, 84
To stop an encoder, 34, 42
ViewCast Niagara 4100, Picture of, 1
To use preset buttons to start encoding, 90
Warnings, 6
Transport Settings, 48, 56
Warranties, 2
USB Device screen, 35
web interface, 22
USB memory device, 108
Welcome window, 38
Use the Niagara SCX Interface, 108
Windows Media encoder properties, 76
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